05/27/2026
If you go to the Texas State Cemetery in Austin you will find this cenotaph, dedicated to the nine young men of Praha, Texas, who died during WW II. The community of Praha has not had more than 100 residents during the last century, but during WW II nine of its young men were killed while serving their country, giving Praha the sad, unfortunate distinction of being the U.S. town with the largest ratio of war deaths to residents. The cenotaph bears the following inscription:
Nine men of Praha a rural community
in Fayette County died in service for
their country during World War II
between February 3, 1944 and February 12, 1945.
PFC Rudolf L. Barta
United States Army
PFC Robert V. Bohuslav
United States Army
PFC Anton Kresta, Jr.
United States Army
Pvt. Joseph Lev
United States Army
PFC Edward J. Marek
United States Army
S.SGT George D. Pavlicek
United States Army
PFC Adolph E. Rab
United States Army
Pvt. Eddie Sbrusch
United States Army Air Forces
PFC Jerry R. Vaculik
United States Army
Reverse Side:
The community of Praha gave its future
for the cause of freedom in the form of nine young
men who died in service for their country during a
twelve month period of World War II.
PFC Rudolf L. Barta was killed in the
Invasion of Normandy, France on June 16, 1944.
PFC Robert V. Bohuslav was wounded in
the Battle of Cassino, Italy and later
died in North Africa on February
PFC Anton Kresta Jr. was killed in action on
February 12, 1945 on Luzon, Philippine Islands.
Pvt. Joseph Lev was killed by a sniper on
July 24, 1944 on Philippine Islands.
PFC Edward J. Marei was killed by machine gun fire
on Peleliu Island on September 26, 1944.
S/Sgt George D. Pavlicek died in France on
July 7, 1944 from wounds received in action.
PFC Adolph E. Rab was killed in Northern
Italy when an enemy shell landed near
his foxhole on December 27, 1944.
Pvt. Eddie Sbrusch was lost at sea on
September 7, 1944, when the ship transporting
him and other prisoners of war to Japan
was torpedoed by an American Submarine.
PFC Jerry R. Vaculik was killed in
action in France on July 23, 1944.
Thanks to Traces of Texas reader Wilson Reed for sending in this photo of the marker.
