Corporal Stanton was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Company C, 77th Engineer Combat Battalion, 25th Infantry Division. On 11 August 1951, as he was crossing a river near Sangsamsong-dong, North Korea, a rock gave way under his foot causing him to drown.

Stanton was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.