Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Gaut was a crew member of a PBM-5 Mariner patrol bomber with Patrol Squadron 46, U.S. Navy. On 25 November 1951, because of high winds the aircraft crashed on landing at Iwakuni, Japan.

Gaut was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.