Henry Conger Pratt
| Henry Conger Pratt | |
|---|---|
Major General Henry Conger Pratt, 1940
|
|
| Born |
September 2, 1882 Fort Stanton, New Mexico |
| Died | April 6, 1966 (aged 83) Washington, D.C. |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 Cavalry, United States Army Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps Air Service, United States Army United States Army Air Corps
|
| Years of service | 1904-1946 |
| Rank |
 Major General
|
| Commands held |
2nd Wing, GHQAF Philippine Division |
| Battles/wars |
Pancho Villa Expedition World War I World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal (2) |
Henry Conger Pratt (September 2, 1882 - April 6, 1966), professionally known as H. Conger Pratt, was a Major General in the United States Army, most of whose career (1904-1946) was spent as an officer and pilot in the Army antecedents of the United States Air Force. In the 1930s he became one of the senior leaders of the Air Corps and was nearly chosen to become Chief of Air Corps in 1935. Pratt was the first member in its history to be appointed to the permanent establishment rank of brigadier general of the line.
In 1938, after becoming a general officer, Pratt was assigned non-aviation command billets including ground forces commands. During World War II Pratt did not serve as a general in the Army Air Forces but as commander of service and defense commands in the Western Hemisphere. He was carried on the retired list of the United States Air Force as a major general after the creation of that service in 1947.
Pratt was appointed an Assistant Chief of Air Corps in 1930, chosen as one of the wing commanders of the General Headquarters Air Force in 1935, and served as commandant of the Air Corps Tactical School in 1938. During the pre-war years 1935-1940, Pratt commanded both an air force wing and an army division.
Conger Pratt was born on September 2, 1882 at Fort Stanton, New Mexico, the son of Elizabeth Van Vlick Conger and Captain Henry Clitz Pratt (1843-1887) of the 13th Infantry, a veteran officer whose career had begun in 1862 as a lieutenant in the New York Volunteers during the American Civil War. Captain Pratt died in March 1887 when his son was just four years old. Conger Pratt was also the grandson of Colonel Henry Clay Pratt (1814-1884), West Point Class of 1837, who had been cited for gallantry during the Mexican-American War and served 42 years in the Army.
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