Private First Class Butler was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 22 September 1950 and returned to duty on 26 November 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 7 January 1951.

Butler was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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 Republic of Korea War Service Medal.