Corporal De La Fuente was a member of the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 27 October 1951.

De La Fuente was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.