Truhlar was born in Lomnice, Czechoslovakia in November 1917. He trained a school teacher before joining a Military Academy to train as a pilot. Following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia Truhlar escaped to Hungary where he was arrested. Following his release he escaped again, making it to France, then England.

He joined 311 Czech Sqn as a rear gunner, flying in Wellington bombers. On his third operation, to Bremen on 16 October 1940, Truhlar was injured - returning over London, they flew into a balloon barrage, slicing on wing off and crashing on tennis courts near Bentley Priory, northwest London. Truhlar escaped through a hole in the fuselage as the plane went up in flames.

Following treatment at Margate Hospital and QVH, he asked to return to flying duties. He passed a pilot's course with flying colours and was attached to 312 Czech Sqn flying Spitfires. On 11 June 1944, Truhlar was returning from his 60th operation low on fuel. He crash landed on an airfield near Portsmouth, hindered by fog. He was pulled from the burned wreckage unconscious by local firefighters and became a patient under McIndoe again.

He returned to Czechoslovakia in December 1945, and died in a plane crash not far from his home a year later.