Private First Class Haugtvedt was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was seriously wounded by the enemy near Pongam-ni, South Korea on 12 August 1950 and returned to duty on 6 September 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Yulgak, South Korea on 24 September 1950.

Haugtvedt was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman 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.