Staff Sergeant Nance was the pilot of a F9F-4 Grumman Panther fighter with Marine Fighter Squadron 115, Marine Air Group 33, 1st Marine Air Wing. On 10 September 1952, after a combat mission, his aircraft was diverted to Pohang Airfield (K-3) because of bad weather. It crashed into a mountain.

Nance 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.