State to Honor Southington's Dennis Pratt, Other Fallen Soldiers

The following is a press release from the state of Connecticut.

The portraits of six Connecticut soldiers killed in the conflict in Afghanistan will be added to the Wall of Honor tribute in the State Capitol complex at the annual addendum ceremony on May 24.

Army Spec. Dennis Pratt, who was killed in combat in 2009, will be among those recognized with a plaque during the 2012 ceremony at the State Capitol Building.

Pratt was born in Waterbury in 1975, but spent much of the early part of his life in Southington before graduating from in 1993.

After graduation, he moved to Arizona, Oklahoma and then Texas where he joined the United States Army. Pratt did his basic training at Fort Sill and was then stationed at Fort Drum, New York. He was deployed to Afghanistan on January 2009 and was killed six months later.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony, scheduled for 4 p.m. in the Atrium of the Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Ave. in Hartford. Families of many of the new honorees and of the 56 Connecticut military men and women previously lost in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are expected to attend.

In addition to the hanging of photographic portraits of the six new honorees, the names of all service members on the Wall will be read and family members will have the opportunity to give remarks.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman created the Wall of Honor in 2007, and it is funded entirely by private donations. Anyone wishing to make a donation may contact Steve Jensen in the Lt. Governor’s office at (860) 524-7377, (860) 539-9298 or Steve.Jensen@ct.gov.

The six new honorees are:

• Army Spec. Dennis Pratt, 34, of Southington. (2009)
• Army Spec. Richard C. Emmons, 22, of North Granby. (2011)
• Army Pfc. Eric D. Soufrine, 20, of Woodbridge. (2011)
• Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford. (2011)
• Army Sgt. Edward J. Frank II, 26, of Hartford. (2011)
• Army Staff Sgt. Ari R. Cullers, 28, of Waterford. (2011)