Aviation Ordnanceman First Class Utility Pridgen was the 1st Ordnance man of a PB4Y-2S Privateer patrol bomber with Flight Crew 7, Patrol Bomber Squadron 772, based at Atsugi, Japan. On 27 July 1951, his aircraft crashed on takeoff at night about 5 miles from Atada Shima, Japan. All men on board were killed.

Pridgen was awarded 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.