Private Gutierrez was a member of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 2 November 1950 and died of those wounds later that day.

Gutierrez 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.