Private First Class Airington was a Light Weapons Infantryman with the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy at the Hantan River in South Korea on 4 April 1951.

Airington was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.