Corporal Brinson was a medic with the 24th Medical Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously injured in South Korea on 1 December 1950 while tending the wounded and died of his injuries later that day.

Brinson was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Medical 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.