Corporal McLaughlin was a member of the 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded while fighting the enemy in Korea on 10 April 1951 and returned to duty on 12 July 1951. He died of other causes in Korea on 25 September 1951.

McLaughlin was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.