Sergeant First Class Brookin was a member of the 29th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in Korea on 2 September 1950 and returned to duty on 5 September 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 15 September 1950.

Brookin was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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.