Corporal Rodriguez was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 14 August 1950 and returned to duty on 20 August 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Chindong-ni, South Korea on 2 September 1950.

Rodriguez was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman 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.