Second Lieutenant Carson was a member of Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. He was Killed in Action defending his position at the Pusan Perimeter in South Korea on 3 September 1950.

Carson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, 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.