10/25/2026
Today we share the story of Johnny Prather. His daughter was kind enough to share the story and pictures with us.
My dad, Johnny Prather was born in Foyil Oklahoma in 1933. He graduated from Foyil High School in May,1952. He worked until he was drafted into the US Army in early 1953. He started at Ft. Sill Oklahoma and was sent to Ft. Lewis in Washington state to begin his Basic Training. He said they lined the soldiers into 3 lines as there were 3 planes on the tarmac. As they called your name, they pointed to a plane and you boarded, not knowing where your final destination was. That was a long way for a country boy from Foyil to travel to and live for 2 years. He was trained to be a machine gunner and was a great marksman, receiving many medals and awards for his skill. He loved going to shooting competitions until one time, he had a trip back to Oklahoma planned, and a competition came up at the same time. He had to stay back and watch his Army buddies from OK leave. Dad laughed as he told me, "That was the last competition I was in because I was NOT going to miss another trip home!" He was a machine gun squadron leader and had many stories of his time at Ft. Lewis. He did not like standing in line for parades, marching around the parade field for special occasions or presentations. He also was not fond of those 5-mile hikes they took complete with a loaded backpack and a r***e on his shoulder. Another thing he told me was that the life expectancy of a machine gunner on the front lines in Korea was 4 minutes. That was the starkest comment he made about his time in the Army.
Ft. Lewis was the last stop before being transported to the Korean conflict at that time, so he knew he was headed to Korea after Basic Training. Dad was a Corporal when he was discharged in 1955. He was halfway through Basic Training when the Peace Treaty was signed, and he remained at Ft. Lewis until he was honorably discharged and came back to Oklahoma. Six months later, (1955) he married his sweetheart and the love of his life, Sue Hough. One year later, I was born, and 8 years later my brother arrived. He loved dancing and somehow found dance partners near Ft. Lewis "so he could keep in shape". Emoji He continued to dance until the weekend before he passed away. In his 91 years, he never saw a dance or a dance partner he didn't love. He told me it was good exercise and was the reason he kept in such good shape.
My Dad was a Cherokee citizen and always was proud to have served his country. I always loved standing by him when the National Anthem was played or a flag passed by. No matter his age, he stood at attention with his hand to his head, standing straight and tall. I got to accompany him on his Cherokee Warrior trip in September of 2024 to Washington DC to see all the monuments and Arlington Cemetery. He was in awe of all the monuments and sites we saw that trip. He passed away in November of 2024 two months after going on the trip. He was a great soldier, loving husband, and a wonderful Dad who taught us to love our country and always show respect.