Private First Class Pavletich was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously Wounded in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 29 August 1951 and died of those wounds on 1 September 1951.

Pavletich was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, 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.