Private First Class Colonna was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously injured in South Korea on 15 March 1951 and returned to duty on 1 April 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 25 May 1951.

Colonna 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.