William J. Copeland was born on April 1, 1917 in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Thomas Alvin and Jean Anna (Hawthorne) Copeland. William enlisted in the U.S. Army on July 8, 1941 at New Cumberland, Pennsylvania and served as a Technician 5th Grade in the 18th U.S. Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, United States Army during World War II. He was Killed in Action on June 6, 1944 during the invasion on Omaha Beach, France at the age of 27 and is now buried in Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA. His name is commemorated on the First Infantry monument on Omaha Beach, France and ranked as a Private.