Herman voluntarily enlisted in the military at Camp Shelby in MS on October 10, 1942. He applied to the Army Air Force and was enlisted as part of the 856th bomber squad. When he enlisted he was 5'8", weighed 181 pounds, had brown hair and gray eyes. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant in his fighter group. His military specialty was bell turret gunner. He was a part of the crew of the B-24J Liberator #44-40112 "Flak Happy". The squadron went on 67 small bombing missions during the war. On their mission to bomb a heavily defended refinery in Politz, Germany, the plane was shot down by enemy fighters near Rugen island. The deck of the plane caught fire causing the crew to bail, and they crashed into the Baltic Sea. Beasley died in the crash. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal Awards for his efforts in the war.