Why is a Veteran buried where they are? Was this their choice? Or the result of circumstances beyond their control? We might not be able to answer this question yet. However, we can make an educated guess with a little context. Here, understanding the history of a particular cemetery and the broader national cemetery system can help us infer many things about who a Veteran was and how they died.
The location of older Veterans’ cemeteries: Many Civil War–era cemeteries were established near the place where soldiers died (such as battlefields, military hospitals, and the facilities created to care for disabled Veterans).
Plan of the National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. 1908 copy from 1892 authority map by Office of the Quartermaster General, US Army. (National Archives)
Planning new cemetery locations: Starting in the 1930s, the Army began selecting new cemetery locations based on demographic data, anticipating where burial space would be needed. In more recent years, the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) has vastly expanded the number of national cemeteries “with the goal of providing a 75 mile or less drive from a Veteran’s home to a cemetery.”
Two Coast Guardsmen paying homage to a fellow Service member who lost his life in action on the Ryukyu Islands, ca. 1945. (National Archives)
The NCA shares histories of the cemeteries directly under its care. Navigate to the webpage for a particular cemetery using the interactive map referenced in the previous lesson. Scroll down the page to the “Historical Information” and “Notable Persons” sections.
View of the webpage for Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.
As you read about the cemetery’s history and who is interred there, you may find it helpful to ask some targeted questions:
What historical circumstances led to the creation of this cemetery?
Why was this location chosen?
Did the cemetery expand after its creation?
Are many World War II Veterans buried in the cemetery?
Did many of the interred die during specific battles? If so, does the death date of the soldier you are investigating match the dates of any of those battles?
Were any of the notable persons World War II Veterans? If so, how did they come to be interred in the cemetery?
With this understanding, you will be ready to formulate a hypothesis about how someone came to be buried there.
To answer the following question, please open the webpage for the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in a new window by clicking the button.