On 10 October 1942 he enlisted in the service from Newark, New Jersey, as a private in the Air Corps. He had two years of high school education, was single, without dependents and his civilian occupation was listed as: "Stock clerks".

According to the Veterans Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death file, William was released from active duty on 14 October 1945.

He was listed on the 437th TCG Association Reunion rosters from 1972 through 1988.