Sonarman Second Class Chewning served aboard the destroyer USS WALKE (DD-723) in Korean waters. He was Killed in Action when his ship struck an enemy mine of the east coast of Korea on June 12, 1951. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. Sonarman Second Class Chewning was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.