Columbarium marker for William J. Koblak in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil, Washington county, Pennsylvania.

William enlisted in the Army at Pittsburgh, PA on 10 June 1943. 

He volunteered for parachutist duty and completed basic training and jump school before boarding a troop ship that departed for the ETO on 1 July 1944.

On 16 September 1944, Pvt Koblak was transferred from HQ, 82nd Airborne Division to Service Company, 508th PIR.

While he arrived too late to join in the fracas in the Netherlands, he did see combat during the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded in action in Belgium on 24 December 1944 and was evacuated.  He rejoined the company on 15 February 1945.

On 9 March 1945, William was appointed to the grade of Pfc.

Pfc Koblak was discharged at the Indiantown Water Gap Military Reservation, PA on 14 October 1945.

On 23 January 1950, William was amongst the first to apply for the Pennsylvania WWII Veterans bonus which had just begun that month.

He was credited with 24 months of domestic duty and 15 months of overseas service.  He was awarded a bonus of $465, just $35 shy of the maximum. .