Brownwood’s Welcome W. Chandler Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas have created 12 posters featuring 17 Brown County veterans. The Daughters created the posters to publicize the approximately 2,000 veterans buried at Greenleaf Cemetery and to encourage citizens to purchase wreaths to honor these heroes, a program sponsored by Wreaths Across America. Posters are displayed this month at the Brown County Museum of History in recognition of Veterans Day.
DRT will host a poster reception at the Brown County Museum of History on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, at 10 a.m. The public is invited to this free event.
Following is information about the earliest Brownwoodian featured in the exhibit.
Brownwood boy Corporal Willard Alton Perry, Jr., fell in battle April 29, 1968, southeast of Tan Tru, Dinh Tuong Province, South Vietnam, from multiple enemy grenade fragmentation wounds. He was 20 years old and a newlywed.
Corporal Perry arrived in Viet Nam Christmas day,1967. His family received a letter from him days before his death saying he was returning to action after suffering a back injury and a leg wound. He was married to the former Violet Conner, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Willard Alton Perry, Sr., of Brownwood.
Perry received the Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, Viet Nam Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Viet Nam Campaign Ribbon, Viet Nam Gallantry Cross, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, and the Army Presidential Unit Citation.
This Brownwood hero is honored on the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Washington DC. His name is inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 53e, Line 6.
Willard Alton Perry, Jr., is buried in Greenleaf Cemetery.
Join DRT in honoring Brown County veterans. Sponsor $15 wreaths to be placed on veteran graves Saturday, Dec.17 at Greenleaf Cemetery.
To purchase wreaths, make checks payable to Welcome W. Chandler DRT and mail to Nancy Lowry, DRT Treasurer, PO Box 272, Bangs, TX 76823. You may also purchase wreaths online at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/TX1050P. Deadline to order wreaths online is Nov. 21. Deadline to receive checks is Nov. 18.