Private First Class Upshaw was a member the Machine Gun Squad, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. He was Killed in Action while defending his position on Hill 202, overlooking the Sachon River near Sachon, South Korea, on 1 September 1950.

Upshaw was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation, 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.