Private First Class Simmons was a Heavy Weapons Infantryman with the Heavy Mortar Company, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 18 August 1950.

Simmons was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.