Master Sergeant Harrington was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the VHF Platoon, 2nd Signal Company, 2nd Infantry Division. He died of other causes on 17 March 1951 near Yodong-ni, South Korea.

Harrington was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.