Captain Conner was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the Headquarters Squadron 49th Fighter Bomber Group, attached to the 6132nd Tactical Air Control Group. On 28 July 1950, he was Killed in Action from multiple gun shot wounds near Chinju, South Korea.

Conner was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.