Private First Class Acosta was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. On 10 October 1951, he was Killed in Action by a gun shot wound to the chest at "Heartbreak Ridge" near Peasem, North Korea.

Acosta 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.