Master Sergeant Potter was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the 439th Engineer Construction Battalion, U.S. Army. He was severely wounded and evacuated to the Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan where he died of pulmonary edema and hemorrhagic nephritis.

Potter was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.