Private First Class Debruyn was a medic with the Medical Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was listed as Missing in Action while tending his wounded comrades in North Korea on 22 March 1953. He was presumed dead on 23 March 1954. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Debruyn 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.