Private Rasmussen was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. He was Wounded in Action from the blast of an enemy mortar shell in North Korea on July 27, 1953 and died later that day. For his leadership and valor, Private Rasmussen was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s 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.