Captain Christensen was the pilot of a F-80C Shooting Star Fighter-Interceptor with the 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group. On 3 May 1951, while on a combat mission, the aircraft's tail struck the ground and the plane exploded near Chanjang-ni, 10 miles northeast of Munsan-ni, South Korea.

Christensen 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.