Private Ortman was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy artillery fire on Hill 200 near "Pork Chop Hill" in North Korea on 9 June 1953 and died of those wounds on 11 June 1953.

Ortman 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.