Corporal King was the gunner of a B-26B Invader bomber with the 730th Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomber Wing stationed at Mihe Air Force Base, Japan. On 17 December 1950, while on a combat mission, his aircraft crashed into the east slope of Mt. Korie-zan 12 miles east of Yonage, Japan.

King was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.