Major Eiland was the pilot of a F3D-2 Douglas Skynight fighter with the Marine Night Fighter Squadron 513, Marine Air Group 33, 1st Marine Air Wing. On September 1, 1952, while departing on a combat mission, his engine malfunctioned on take-off and the plane crashed into the water two miles from Kusan Airfield (K-8), South Korea. Major Eiland 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.