Private First Class Barrett was a Light Weapons Infantryman with the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 9 September 1951 and died of those wounds on 15 September 1951.

Barrett was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.