Surname Index
Updated: 25 Aug 2009

Daily Oklahoman, The 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
June 14, 1944

Five Sons Serve U. S. Forces,
State Mother Becomes Citizen

A 60 year-old Czechoslovakian mother of five sons serving with the United States armed forces all over the glove tightly clutched a small American flag and in broken English repeated the oath of allegiance to become a naturalized American citizen.

Mrs. Veronika Mizera, now residing in Prague, was one of 50 men and women who became American citizens in a ceremony conducted by Edgar S. Vaught, U. S. district judge, Monday afternoon in the Oklahoma City federal building courtroom.

“I just kept thinking throughout the ceremony what a wonderful day this is for me and how proud I am that my boys are able to fight for our county.” Mrs. Mizera commented after the ceremony. Her joy, however, is intermingled with sadness, because of two brothers in Czechoslovakia from whom no word has been received since German troops marched into the country.

Only one of the five sons in service is still in the United States, Sgt. Frank Mizera, 32,stationed at Camp Campbell. Ky. Her eldest son, Cpl. Joseph Mizera. 34. is with the army air forces in Europe. Cpl. Jerry NHzera, 27. is with the army in Australia; Louie Mizera, 25, navy seaman. is in the Pacific theater of war and Pfc. August Mizera. 20. is serving with the engineer corps in Corsica.

TWO daughters, Mrs. Augusta Stottlemeyer and Mrs. Glenn Leak. Live in Prague. and another daughter. Miss Pauline Mizera is an aircraft worker at a Kansas City war plant. Mrs. Leak's husband is a paratrooper, also serving overseas.

Mrs. Mizera, with her husband, who died six years ago, came to Taylor Texas, from their homeland in 1913. Four years later they moved to Prague Two children. Joseph and Frank, were born in Czechoslovakia, the former becoming a naturalized citizen shortly before he enlisted in the army two years ago.

Because her husband was not an American citizen, it was necessary for Mrs. Mizera to file her first citizenship papers and wait two years in accordance with the law to file a petition for a naturalization hearing in court.

Also in the group was Pablo Tabares, 51, Mexican by birth, at totally disabled veteran of the last World war.  Tabares, who walks only with the aid of crutches, was wounded by shrapnel in France in 1918 while serving with the fifth division of the U. S. army.

Although Pablo Tabares did not have such a long wait, becoming naturalized American citizen was very difficult. He started his naturalization inquiry in September. 1943,  and tried to file for citizenship under an act applying to veterans of the first World war, an act which expired two months later. In trying to verify Tabares entry Into the United States official could find no record.

Tabares, who now resides at 1341 SW 33, Oklahoma City, received a certificate of registry granting him lawful entry into the country last February, permitting him to make application for citizenship. Because he married an American girl, he received certain exemptions and did not have to file first citizenship papers.

Tabares came to Texas from Mexico when he was 17 years old, and en, listed in the United States army in Omaha, Neb, in 1918. After the war, he resided in Yukon, moving to Oklahoma City in 1938. Tabares has a daughter. Joan. 11.

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, Jul 2009. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?

I always welcome comments and corrections.

I live outside the Oklahoma City area, I cannot personally do any research for you. However I will try to direct you to someone who may help you if you can't find what you want here. Please understand ALL information on this site was contributed by people like you. If it's not on the site, I don't have it. Thanks