Robert Allan Prehn

West Point, 1951

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Winston Prehn Ammann on October 12, 2014:

(Dear Classmates. Being a member of the United States Military Academy Class of '51 meant everything to Dad. The eulogy posted below is that which was delivered at Dad's memorial service by his friend and classmate, Paul Coughlin. I would like to honor my father one more time by posting Col. Coughlin's wonderful words here. Sincerely, Winston Prehn Ammann) For Robert Allan Prehn, Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired Delivered by his friend and classmate Paul Allin Coughlin, Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired We are here today to celebrate the life of Pete Prehn -- an officer and a true gentleman in every sense of the work -- a patriot who served his country with distinction as a military officer -- and a private citizen who served his church and his community well. There are so many things that I would like to say about Pete, but let me begin by telling you how Pete himself helped me make this presentation today. Several years ago my wife, Sara, as well as others, complained that I spoke in too soft a voice and that I had a tendency to mumble. Sara pointed out that Pete spoke clearly and that I should consult him on how to improve my speech. Well, I did. He was very helpful and shared with me some voice techniques that he found useful as an actor. So I stand before you today as a graduate of the Pete Prehn School of Speech Therapy. In the West Point Class of 1951 yearbook his classmates had this to say about young Pete: "Dividing his time between the femmes of the East and his memories of the West took most of Pete's time. As he regarded high academic standing the crutch of narrow minds, he favored athletics in which his natural ability made him outstanding. A mad cat of the drums, the Sinatra of (Company) C-2, with a joke for any occasion, Pete was easily the most popular man in the Company." Pete and I both loved music. We became friends at Camp Buckner during the summer of 1948 when we formed a jazz combo consisting of me on trumpet, Ted Post on piano, Dick McCullough on trombone, Jack Martin on sax, Joe Crocco on drums, and Pete on both drums and bass. What we lacked in talent we made up for in volume. It was that summer that I first recognized Pete as a budding actor. In a show put on by the cadets Pete performed in a humorous skit as a character that he created named "Combat Bob." From that day forward Pete was known to many of his classmates as "Combat Bob." As a personal aside, within our families Pete and I were referred to by our initials: RA for Pete and PA for me. I told Pete that was especially appropriate for him because RA also stood for Regular Army. After graduation and jump school we went our separate ways, but our paths crossed in December of 1953 when I arrived in Okinawa. The first thing I did was to look up Pete, who was serving as the Aide to the Commanding General. Although very busy as they prepared for Bobby's birth in January, Pete and Nancy took me under their wings and for the next three months provided transportation and numerous home cooked meals until my wife and car arrived. The next July we celebrated our birthdays -- his on the 23rd and mine on the 25th -- with our families at Okuma Beach. That started our tradition of celebrating our birthdays together whenever possible, the most distant of which was in Saigon, Vietnam in 1972. Last July Pete and Cathy came to Charlotte for the 59th anniversary of that first celebration in Okinawa. Sadly, that turned out to be his final one. I don't know how many birthdays I have left, but on each one I'll insist that a candle for Pete be placed on the cake. When Pete was reassigned to the US I was fortunate to be selected as his replacement as Aide to General Ogden. I suspect that Pete's recommendation had a lot to do with that. Common experiences tend to strengthen relationships, so the ties between our families became even closer when I not only inherited Pete's job, but his house, his maid, and even his dog, Kogo. When our daughter Cindy was born a few months later her first home was the same one that Bobby had enjoyed a year earlier and the maid, Kioko, was the same one who cared for him as a newborn. Some of my family's fondest memories are of the summers when we shared beach houses with the Prehns -- usually at Holden's Beach, North Carolina. Pete's sense of humor was contagious and made for lasting memories. He was always fun to be around. On one such vacation I gained even greater admiration for Pete as a communicator. He could really connect with the kids. One evening my children Cindy, Linda, and Paul told me that they would be staying up late with Bob, Winston, and David to have a "rap session" with Colonel Prehn. I wasn't invited! I could always count on Pete for moral support. He and Cathy were very supportive in the months following the death of my wife Sara. Pete was equally supportive when I told him of my plans to marry Betty. Faithful friend that he was, last November he made the trip to Charlotte with Moose Matney and George Meighen to attend our wedding. That was our last visit. George Meighen greatly regretted that he could not be here today, and asked me to relate to you a significant memory point of his concerning Pete. Some years ago George and his lady friend, Kay, attended a Class of '51 mini-reunion in Colorado Springs. Don McGann was MC and he asked those in attendance to stand up and say a little about themselves. Kay was seated next to Pete. When it was Pete's turn to speak he deftly grabbed the microphone, shifted to his actor pose, and declared to the assembled group, "George should marry this beautiful woman seated next to me." Thereafter, George accused Pete of making his marriage proposal to Kay for him. George and Kay were married in June, 1997 with Pete and Cathy and a lot of other classmates in attendance. In recent years my visits with Pete have left me with the impression of a man who was content and happy with his life. He was proud of his children and grandchildren and was very much in love with Cathy. What more could a man ask for? I am reminded of the words of our Alma Mater: "And when our work is done, Our course on earth is run, May it be said, "Well done; Be thou at peace." And I say to you Pete: Well done old friend! We are all better for having known you. Be thou at peace.

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