Born in Chenango, Texas, Sasser briefly attended the University of Houston as a chemistry major, but was forced to drop out due to lack of funds.

[1][2] He was drafted into the United States Army after giving up his college deferment and served as a combat medic during the Vietnam War.

He received the Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon in 1969 for his actions as a combat field medic on January 10, 1968, in Dinh Tuong Province, South Vietnam.

[2] Sasser received multiple wounds during the January 10 battle when his unit was airlifted to a Mekong River rice paddy on a reconnaissance mission.

His company was making an air assault when suddenly it was taken under heavy small arms, recoilless rifle, machinegun and rocket fire from well fortified enemy positions on three sides of the landing zone.

Refusing medical attention, he ran through a barrage of rocket and automatic weapons fire to aid casualties of the initial attack and, after giving them urgently needed treatment, continued to search for other wounded.

Although in agonizing pain and faint from loss of blood, Specialist 5th Class Sasser reached the man, treated him, and proceeded on to encourage another group of soldiers to crawl 200 meters to relative safety.

Specialist 5th Class Sasser's extraordinary heroism is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.