Private First Class McGrath was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Chipyong-ni, South Korea, on 12 February 1951.

McGrath was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Good Conduct 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.