Private First Class Garza was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Wounded in Action against the enemy defending the Pusan Perimeter on 11 September 1950 and returned to duty a month later. He was Killed in Action at Kunu-ri, North Korea, on 27 November 1950.

Garza was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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.