Charley Havlat

Private First Class Charles Havlat is recognized as being the last United States Army soldier to be killed in combat in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. On May 7, 1945, he was a member of a reconnaissance patrol of the 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion operating near present day Volary, Czech Republic. The patrol was ambushed by German soldiers, and Havlat was struck and killed by small arms fire about ten minutes before the news that all German troops in Europe were to obey a ceasefire order reached his unit, and only about six hours before the unconditional surrender of Germany.