Private First Class Chiera was a medic and served two years in Korea. He was assigned to Headquarters Guard Company, United States Disciplinary Barracks, Camp Cooke, California. Having volunteered to return to Korea, he was flying on a chartered aircraft operated by North Continental on 18 April 1952. The aircraft crashed into a hillside near Whittier, California, killing him.

Chiera was awarded the Combat Medical Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.