Master Sergeant Cassetta was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On 21 August 1952, he was scheduled to return home and volunteered to take a patrol in the "Punchbowl" area of North Korea. He was killed while on patrol by enemy fire.

For his leadership and valor, Master Sergeant Cassetta was awarded the Silver Star Medal, 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.