Private First Class Houghton was a veteran of the "Battle of the Bulge" in World War II. In Korea, he was a rifleman with the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy east of Uijongbu, South Korea, on 28 May 1951.

Houghton 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, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, the European Theater of Operations Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.