Private First Class Manning was a Light Weapons Infantryman with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 8 August 1951 and died of those wounds on 10 August 1951.

Manning 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.