Private Kelly was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy at Hill 266, "Old Baldy" in North Korea on 21 September 1952.

Kelly was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's 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.