Private LaGuardia was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in the Hoengsong-Wonju area of South Korea on 12 February 1951. He was killed by a guard on 29 March 1951.

LaGuardia was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, 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.