Airman Second Class Horton was a member of the 4th Maintenance Squadron, 4th Maintenance and Supply Group. He contracted acute Poliomyelitis and was taken to the 121st Evacuation Hospital in Taejon, South Korea where he died on 12 August 1953.

Horton was awarded 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.