Corporal Gilbert was a member of the 82nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea on 19 November 1950 and returned to duty on 27 December 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 9 April 1951.

Gilbert 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.