Private First Class Carlson was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in near Kosomg, South Korea on 5 August 1950.

Carlson 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.