Corporal Macek was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea on 30 November 1950 and returned to duty on 12 December 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 4 June 1951.

Macek was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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.