Sergeant Madsen was a member of the 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 3 May 1953 and died of those wounds on 5 May 1953.

Madsen was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.