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[[Louisiana State University]]

[[Louisiana State University]]

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]​​

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]​​

| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]}}

| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]

 

 

 

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'''Robert Frank Cespiva,''' known as '''Bob Cespiva''' (December 6, 1925 – August 25, 2019), was a local [[politician]], [[educator]], and civic leader in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]].  

'''Robert Frank Cespiva,''' known as '''Bob Cespiva''' (December 6, 1925 – August 25, 2019), was a local [[politician]], [[educator]], and civic leader in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]].  

==Background==

==Background==

Of [[Czech Republic|Czech]] ancestry, Cespiva was one of seven children born to Frank and Josephine Cespiva, in Kolin, an unincorporated community in Rapides Parish, located seven miles southeast of Pineville. He graduated in 1942 from Bolton High School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, then the only high school for white students in Rapides Parish. After high school, he joined the [[U.S. Navy]] and served from 1942 to 1945 in [[World War II]]. He participated in seven invasions in the Pacific theater of operations, including [[Okinawa]] and the [[Philippines]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Harry Truman]] awarded Cespiva him the [[Bronze Star]] after Cespiva saved the life of a downed pilot in the invasion of Saipan.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=robert-frank-cespiva-bob&pid=193754034|title=Robert Cespiva obituary|publisher=''[[Alexandria Town Talk]]''|date=August 28, 2019|accessdate=October 18, 2019}}</ref>

Of [[Czech Republic|Czech]] ancestry, Cespiva was one of seven children born to Frank and Josephine Cespiva, in Kolin, an unincorporated community in Rapides Parish, located seven miles southeast of Pineville. He graduated in 1942 from Bolton High School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, then the only high school for white students in Rapides Parish. After high school, he joined the [[U.S. Navy]] and served from 1942 to 1945 in [[World War II]]. He participated in seven invasions in the Pacific Theater of Operations, including [[Okinawa]] and the [[Philippines]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Harry Truman]] awarded Cespiva him the [[Bronze Star]] after Cespiva saved the life of a downed pilot in the invasion of Saipan.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=robert-frank-cespiva-bob&pid=193754034|title=Robert Cespiva obituary|publisher=''[[Alexandria Town Talk]]''|date=August 28, 2019|accessdate=October 18, 2019}}</ref>

==Career==

==Career==