As the four-year-old girl stood on the curb in front of her family home watching departing American convoys clatter across Bologna, Italy’s cobblestone streets, she didn’t imagine that someday she would honor one of their comrades with a Christmas wreath in Brownwood Texas’ historic Greenleaf Cemetery.
Now 82 years old and living in Mesilla, NM, Antonia heard about Brown County veteran Jake Palmer buried in Greenleaf Cemetery from friend Mary Lee Bailey Shelton. Shelton is wreath liaison for Brownwood’s Daughters of the Republic of Texas, sponsors of Greenleaf Cemetery’s Wreaths Across America campaign.
“I was telling Antonia about a particular veteran buried at Greenleaf,” Shelton said, “one who fought the Nazis in Italy and was buried in Greenleaf.”
“Those Americans saved Europe,” Antonia (now Antonia Goodman) responded. In gratitude she sponsored a wreath in honor of Lieutenant Colonel John (Jake) Spearman Palmer, Jr.
“Our goal is to recognize every veteran buried in Greenleaf,” explained Shelton. “There are thousands of Texas heroes buried in Greenleaf.” she said, “all of whom deserve to be honored and remembered.”
DRT members invite the public to join them for a moving, heart-rending wreath laying ceremony Saturday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. at Greenleaf Cemetery. Veterans from every war since and including the Texas Revolution through the Middle East conflicts are buried at Greenleaf.
To honor veterans, participants will take a wreath, say the veteran’s name, and thank them for their service. The Wreaths Across America organization aims to never forget veterans’ service. DRT members hope they will have enough wreaths to honor all 2,000 veterans lying in rest at Greenleaf. They are half-way to their goal this year.
Wreath sponsorships are $17 each and may be sponsored by following instructions on the flyer accompanying this article.
Lt. Col. Jake Palmer was part of the 36th infantry division activated at Camp Bowie in 1940. He was seriously wounded in the disastrous, bloody and horrific Rapido River battle against the Nazis. His WWII combat ended there, but his brothers in arms’ combat continued north, right into Antonia’s home.
Antonia’s northern Italy family home in Vado, on the Gothic Line, was blown to bits by German bombs. They moved in with her grandparents a few kilometers away in Trasasso. Also in residence in her grandparents’ home were Gen. Mark Clark and troops. Her first memories were of bombs dropping outside the cave where she and her family and community members sheltered during raids. Next her grandparents’ home was bombed and destroyed.
The Bonfiglioli family then trekked to the American side of the Gothic line. They located permanently in Bologna where her father bought a bar-café with a promise and a handshake. She grew up in an apartment over the business.
The war’s end brought the spectacle of convoys passing by Antonia’s new home where she stood watching. Suddenly an American soldier (a member of Brownwood’s 36th Battalion? We’ll never know) jumped off his vehicle to give the little blonde girl a surprise. Excited and a scared, she ran to show her mother and ask what she had. It was pretzels and gum, neither of which Antonia had ever seen.
LTC Palmer’s great nephew Thomas Lee Stalculp still lives in Brown County. LTC Palmer, an engineering graduate of Texas A & M, received the Purple Heart, Bronze Battlestar, Bronze Arrowhead, American Defense Service Medal for Service Prior to Dec.7, 1941, and European African Middle Eastern Service Medal.
LTC Palmer retired from the military after 30 years of service. He returned home and served as engineer and surveyor for the City of Brownwood. Prior to WWII he was supervisor of Works Projects Administration construction in Brownwood.
“We are so pleased to be able to partner with Greenleaf Cemetery to encourage the sale of wreaths for veterans like Jake Palmer,” said Dr. Julie Welker, Welcome W. Chandler DRT chapter president.
“We have already exceeded last year’s numbers, but we would love to meet our goal of 2,000 wreaths this year. It takes our entire community helping,” Welker added. “I hope local residents can join us at our wreath laying ceremony and learn a little more about our rich veteran history in Brown County.”