Private First Class Casanova was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Sangtapson, South Korea, on 4 February 1951.

Casanova was awarded 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.