Roy Prater was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. The son of Lee Prater and Nettie Belle Kidd. Brother of Mildred Prater and Beauford C. Prater. He married Louise Elisabeth Boling and they had two sons, Roy Dewitt Prater and Billy Jackson Prater. His oldest son, Roy Dewitt Prater died in Vietnam in 1972.
He was a graduate of Karns High School and a Knoxville business college.
Shipped aboard the freighter Wichita as Naval Armed Guard. While in transit across the Carribean the Wichita was torpedoed and sunk on 19 September 1942, with the loss of 40 Crewman and 10 Armed Guards. He had been in service for a year and two months when reported missing in action.
Seaman Prater is memorialized at the East Coast Memorial, NY, NY.
- Rank: Seaman Second Class
- Date of birth: 17 May 1908
- Date of death: 19 September 1942
- County: Knox
- Hometown: Knoxville
- Service Branch: Navy
- Division/Assignment: Freighter Wichita
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: East Coast Memorial, New York, New York
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XV, Top Panel
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