Sergeant Putnam was a member of Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action during the battle for Yanggu, North Korea east of the Kwachon Reservoir on 31 May 1951.

Putnam was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation, 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.