Private First Class Carter was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 10 May 1951 and returned to duty on 15 May 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 27 June 1951.

Carter was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, 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.