Private First Class Cantley was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Chipyong-ni, South Korea on 16 February 1951.

Cantley was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman 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.