Sergeant First Class Bratton was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Cavalry Division. He developed an abscess in his lungs and was evacuated to the 4th Field Hospital at Taegu, South Korea where he died on 28 January 1951.

Bratton was awarded 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.