Private Lathan was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously Wounded in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 25 November 1950 and died of those wounds on the following day.

Lathan was awarded 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.