Private First Class Vasquez was a member of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. On 27 November 1953, while a member of a demolition team, he stood too close to the explosion and was killed by fragments.

Vasquez was awarded 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.