David Praporgescu

David Praporgescu (13 December 1865 On 13 October 1916, during an engagement at the Turnu Roșu Pass, he went to inspect the troops in the Coți Mountains, at the western end of the Făgăraș Mountains, up from Câinenii Mici. While there, he was mortally wounded in the chest by a shrapnel from a stray artillery shell. He was buried three days later at Bellu Cemetery, in Bucharest. and a son, Barbu, who had his own military career, rising to the rank of colonel. In the early 1960s Barbu Praporgescu met and married in Lățești Elena Ilinoiu Codreanu, the widow of Corneliu Zelea Codreanu.

Awards In 1907 Praporgescu was awarded the Order of the Crown, Officer class. For his service during the Second Balkan War he was awarded in 1913 the Order of the Star of Romania, Officer class, and the "Country's Upsurge" Medal. On 2 March 1927 he was awarded posthumously the Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd class, for his bravery and leadership during the campaign of 1916.

Legacy

A village in Cerna commune, Tulcea County is named after him, and so is a street in downtown Bucharest, connecting C. A. Rosetti Street to Batiștei Street. Other streets named after Praporgescu can be found in Arad, Brăila, Oradea, Râmnicu Vâlcea, and Turnu Măgurele. There are also high schools in Bucharest and in his native town named after him.

A monument in his honor (a cross) was erected in 1924 in Câineni, then in Argeș County, now in Vâlcea County.

In 2017, Poșta Română issued a 4 lei stamp in his honor, part of the "Eternal Glory to the First World War Heroes" series, which also includes Generals Ion Dragalina and Radu R. Rosetti.