Corporal Downs was a member of the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in South Korea and died while a prisoner on 18 October 1952.

Downs was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, 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.