Following recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, Abrell was assigned as a rifleman to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He deployed from San Diego on August 17, 1950 to Kobe, Japan at the beginning of the Korean War aboard the attack transport USS Noble (was previously used for large scale amphibious training exercises with Marines from Camp Lejeune) with the 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, arriving September 2. The USS Noble departed Kobe on September 9 and arrived off South Korea on September 13 for the Inchon Invasion on September 15.