Corporal Turcotte was a Browning Automatic Rifleman (BAR) with the 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. During "Operation Thunderbolt" near Seoul, South Korea on 6 February 1951, his unit was blocked by heavy enemy fire. He moved forward with his BAR and covered the withdrawal of his comrades until he was mortally wounded.

For his leadership and valor, Corporal Turcotte was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's 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.