First Lieutenant Labarge was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was the pilot of a B-26B Invader bomber with 13th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomb Group. On 2 September 1950, while on a rail interdiction mission, the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and exploded. His remains were recovered.

Labarge was awarded the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.