The first step in your research is selecting a World War II Veteran to investigate. Here, you might begin by looking at Veterans interred in a cemetery in your state. The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) maintains an interactive map that you can use to find cemeteries for Veterans and Service members who died on active duty. To use this tool successfully, it helps to understand the different kinds of NCA cemeteries. Additionally, the National Park Service (NPS) maintains 14 cemeteries, mostly containing Civil War–era soldiers, and the Department of the Army maintains two cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery. These are not included in the NCA interactive map.
Who maintains? The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) operates 155 national cemeteries. It provides a standardized set of additional information for each cemetery on its website.
Eligibility: Service members who died on active duty, Veterans who did not receive a dishonorable discharge, and spouses and dependents of the Service member or Veteran.
The main gate at Acadia National Cemetery in Maine. (National Cemetery Administration)
Who maintains? These cemeteries receive funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs but are run by state, territory, or tribal governments. Webpages for these cemeteries vary in the information they provide.
Eligibility: Beyond the NCA requirements, these cemeteries often have state residency (and possibly other) requirements.
Graves at San Antonio National Cemetery. (National Cemetery Administration)
The interactive content below illustrates how to use the NCA’s interactive map. You can browse cemeteries by state or search for them by zip code. Scroll down to advance the content. Please note this experience is best viewed on laptops and desktops.
To answer the following questions, please open the Interactive NCA Cemeteries Map in a new window by clicking the button.