Sergeant First Class Burton was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 7 September 1950 and returned to duty on 15 September 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea later that day.

Burton was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.