Private Guilford was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near DT233418, North Korea, on 11 September 1952.

Guilford was awarded the Purple Heart, 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 Korean War Service Medal.