Private First Class Boyd was a member of the 4.2" Mortar Company, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Wounded in Action while fighting the enemy in Korea and died of those wounds on 29 March 1953.

Boyd was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.