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Contact Info
Home Town Jackson, KY
Date of Passing Jul 04, 2010
Location of Interment Miami Cemetery - Wayne Township, Ohio
Wall/Plot Coordinates Q 99 6
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Last Known Activity:
PRATER, Vincent, Jr. age 76 of Centerville passed away Sunday, July 4, 2010 at Kettering Medical Center. Vincent was born on December 29, 1933 in Wilstacy-Breathitt County, Kentucky to Vincent and Corsie (Noble) Prater, Sr. He was preceded in death by his son Phillip T. Prater; his parents; and brothers, Elmer, Arnold and Dennis Boyd Prater. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Geneva "Jean" (Hatmaker) Prater; grandchildren, Lindsay Elizabeth (Kevin) Graves and Ryan Phillip Prater; daughter in law, Susan Prater; brothers, Ernest (Mary), Clarence (Geraldine), Ollie (Shelby), Seldon (Jessie) and Lester (Pat) Prater. Vincent served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years and later retired after 22 years of service at WPAFB as a civilian supervisor for the MOD Aircraft Division. He was a member of Far Hills Community Church, American Legion Post #615 Waynesville and Masonic Lodge #147 F & AM. He loved to fish, hunt, and his greatest joy in life was spending time with his family and grandchildren. He was always there to lend a hand. Friends may call from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at the TOBIAS FUNERAL HOME FAR HILLS CHAPEL, 5471 Far Hills Ave. at Rahn Rd., with the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. Pastor Tony Chester officiating. Interment Miami Cemetery, Corwin, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Far Hills Community Church, 5800 Clyo Rd., Dayton, Ohio 45459 or to the charity of your choice. Condolences may be made to www.tobiasfuneralhome.com
Other Comments:
No Fireworks this Day
No fireworks this day
A Hero has passed away
Two hundred years of Freedom
A special soul to Godâ??s Kingdom
No bombs bursting in air
At his bedside five Brothers there
Honor thee a fallen one
Silence - at peace another son
No bands playing â??Oh say can you see?â??
Angels carry him home, no songs of glee
A sorrowful tune â?? Taps â?? The Bugler blew
The sky weeping misty morning dew
No rockets red glare, bombs bursting in air
Broken Hearts and tears Loved Ones share
On their lips â?? â??In God We Trustâ??
Ashes to Ashes â?? Dust to Dust
While Viet Cong and North Vietnamese military activity in South Vietnam continued at a low level and U.S. forces gradually withdrew, the Republic of Vietnam re-equipped and modernized its armed forces in a program called “Vietnamization.” To meet the VNAF ‘s needs for trained personnel, the USAF in the fall of 1969 began training programs both in South Vietnam and the United States. On December 1, 1969, the AC-47 gunships flew their last combat missions as U.S. aircraft: subsequently, the United States transferred the AC-47s to the VNAF and the Royal Laotian Air Force (RLAF). A few weeks later, on January 22, 1970, the U.S. Air Force began transferring to the VNAF the Tactical Air Control System that handled air defense, tactical attacks, and air traffic control in South Vietnam. On March 15 the USAF inactivated the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phu Cat, an air base on the coast 250 miles northeast of Saigon, and the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cam Ranh
Bay, 180 miles northeast of Saigon. The USAF began withdrawing civil engineering units in April.
The USAF might reduce its forces and operations in South Vietnam, but other events prompted increased U.S. involvement in Laos. On November 1, 1969, with the onset of another dry season. the USAF began another intensive air campaign. COMMANDO HUNT III. in the Laotian panhandle to counter an increasing flow southwards of enemy troops and supplies. The 14th Special Operations Wing's AC-119 and AC-130 gunships. although only flying a small number of the total sorties along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, accounted for almost half of the destroyed or damaged trucks. Meanwhile. tactical air and B-52 aircrews focused on area targets and antiaircraft positions.
While the USAF effort in the Laotian panhandle focused on interdiction. aerial action in northem Lam involved close air support. In January 1970 the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese mounted a major offensive against Royal Laotian forces. On January 4 the Seventh Air Force sent a helicopter squadron to Long Tieng, an airstrip 100 miles north of Vientiane, for operations around Muong Soui. It also dispatched AC-119K gunships to Udorn Air Base. Thailand. on February 15 to provide armed reconnaissance along major roads in northem Laos and close air support for Laotian forward bases. Two days later. in an effort to slow the enemy advance. the USAF used B—52s against North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao positions in northern Laos. Despite the intense air attacks. the Communist forces captured Muong Soui on Febuary 24 and advancing over the Plain of Jars. by March 17 threatened Long Tieng. The Seventh Air Force helped fly in reinforcements of Thai and Laotian troops to Long Tieng and evacuated refugees, while its tactical aircraft provided close air support to the beleaguered troops. By March 30 the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese forces once again had retreated. and Long Tieng appeared safe, at least until the next dry season.
‘The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong for many years had used Cambodia as a sanctuary with relative impunity, although the USAF as early as
March 1969 bombed targets in Cambodia with B-52s. Then, in March 1970, a new Cambodian government challenged the Communist military
presence. The Communists reacted with a military campaign against Cambodian forces. As the conflict escalated, on April 20 Cambodian Premier Lon Nol formally sought U.S. aid. On the 24th the USAF began flying tactical missions against enemy targets in Cambodia, and 5 days later, the ARVN entered Cambodia to destroy enemy bases and supplies and assist Cambodian troops fighting the Communists.