Private First Class Lynch was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 15 October 1951 and returned to duty the following day. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 26 October 1951.

Lynch 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.