Second Lieutenant Prior was the pilot of a F4U-5 Corsair fighter with Marine Fighter Squadron 212, Marine Air Group 33, First Marine Air Wing. On 10 July 1951, while on a combat mission under severe weather conditions, his aircraft crashed near Chechon, Korea.

Prior was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.