Private First Class Waddoups was a member of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in Korea on 15 August 1952 and died of those wounds on 26 August 1952.

Waddoups 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.