[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 120 (Monday, September 10, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE CAREER OF MAJOR GENERAL GERALD L. PRATHER AND HIS BEING 
    NAMED ``PERSON OF THE DECADE'' IN DEL RIO, TX BY THE BOY SCOUTS

                                 ______
                                 

                    HON. FRANCISCO ``QUICO'' CANSECO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 10, 2012

  Mr. CANSECO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and career 
of a true American hero--Air Force Major General Gerald L. Prather. 
General Prather was born in LaGrange, Georgia in 1935. He enlisted in 
the Air Force in 1954, and received his pilot wings and commission in 
August of 1956. During his distinguished career, General Prather has 
flown F-84F's, F-100D's, C-130's, and was a B-52 pilot and training 
instructor. In 1967 he was assigned to Mactan Isle Airfield in the 
Philippines, where he completed more than 500 combat support missions 
in Southeast Asia. The general eventually became the commander of the 
European Communications Area in 1977, and was promoted to Major General 
in March of 1983, with date of rank July 1, 1979. General Prather's 
military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of 
Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star 
Medal with ``V'' device, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with two 
oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, 
Air Force and Marine Presidential Unit Citation Emblems, Air Force 
Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force 
Organization Excellence Award Ribbon.
  General Prather's life and career embodies the best of America and of 
our armed forces, and just recently he was named by the Boy Scouts as 
the ``Man of the Decade'' in Del Rio, TX, home of Laughlin Air Force 
Base. General Prather was also honored this past weekend when Laughlin 
Air Force base named a street on the base after him--a great honor for 
a great American.
  As the representative of the 23rd District of Texas, which includes 
Del Rio and Laughlin Air Force Base, I wish to congratulate General 
Prather on his recent honors and thank him for a tremendous life of 
service to our nation.

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