Airman First Class Gliniak was the tail gunner of a B-26B Invader bomber with the 95th Bomber Squadron, 17th Bomber Wing. On 21 October 1952, after a night intruder mission, the aircraft missed the approach to Pusan East Airfield (K-9), South Korea and crashed. His remains were recovered.

Gliniak was awarded 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.