When 85-year-old Maj. Gen. (ret) Gerald Prather was advised by family that he should sit out this year’s Veterans’ Day hoopla and stay away from crowds, he had a one-word response.
“Nope,” he said.
While Del Rio Veterans’ Day organizers had already adjusted the program in an effort to minimize crowds and eliminated events where social distancing would be impossible, Prather’s family knew that keeping him home wasn’t a battle they’d win.
So, they went into action ensuring “Del Rio’s general” could be involved in the day’s festivities.
The major event was a Vet Train, going down Del Rio’s main boulevard, named appropriately enough Veterans Boulevard. Real life veterans lined up their vehicles on the outskirts of town and went down Veterans Blvd sandwiched in between Del Rio Police Department and Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office escorts. Leading the way was a formation of 4 T-6 Texan IIs from Laughlin Air Force Base, who led the train of nearly 50 vehicles into Del Rio’s city limits.
As they led them down the street, people lined the boulevard, waving to the veterans and oohing and aahing over the aircraft. “It was almost like we were going into Baghdad,” one Iraqi War veteran said. “The way people were lining the street and cheering for us.”
Crowd estimates ranged anywhere from 1000 people to several thousand.
To ensure the General’s presence was felt, the family put Prather in the back of the topless jeep so crowds who lined the street could see him. Val Verde County and City of Del Rio officials organized the event, and they ensured Del Rio’s General was in the lead vehicle.
Family members took care of the General, wife Helen pointed out friends as she rode beside him in the back and granddaughter Tabitha Robinson drove as patriotic tunes blared from the sound system.
“It was great,” Prather said later at a lunch with family and friends afterwards. “I waved and then when I’d see someone I’d recognize I’d give them a point and a wave.”
“This was our intent,” said Adrian Bitela, the Val Verde County Veterans Services’ officer who helped organize the event with Esme Meza, the city’s Community Services Director. “We wanted to ensure we highlighted and recognized our veterans but ensure we did it in a safe environment.”
Every veteran and group that participated were in their own vehicles, usually with family and friends.
First Lt. Daniel Rubio, public affairs officer from Laughlin Air Force Base, was assigned body guard duty.
Prather, who had streets named after him in the local area and held a number of public offices, is a Del Rio icon. So, whenever anyone came up to chat with the General, Rubio had the duty of ensuring proper social distancing happened.
“Everyone understood,” Rubio said. “They had their conversations with him, just made sure they did it from 6-feet away.”
The General did his part and stayed masked up as well.
Afterwards, everyone deemed the overall effort a huge success, including the general who typically helps organize the ceremony portion of Veterans and Memorial Day.
“Although different, this was one of my favorites,” the general said.
Joe Frank Ramirez, the president of a local motorcycle club, that joined with other clubs to bring up the rear, gave it a thumbs up as well. “All of the guys enjoyed it a lot,” he said.
