Sergeant Early was a member of Company C, 8th Engineer Combat Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 7 September 1950 and returned to duty on 11 September 1950. He was last seen carrying a wounded lieutenant to safety while defending his position along the Yalu River near Unsan, North Korea on 2 November 1950. He was taken Prisoner of War on 2 November 1950 and died while a prisoner on 31 March 1951. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Early was awarded the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, 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.