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National Cemetery Administration (NCA) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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National Cemetery Administration (NCA) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs The National Cemetery Administration honors Veterans and their families with a final resting place.

NCA is one of the three operating administrations of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs providing benefits to Veterans and their eligible dependents.

Operating as usual

This Christmas Eve, please enjoy a peaceful, heavenly video shot last year at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, cour...
24/12/2022
Wreaths Across America at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

This Christmas Eve, please enjoy a peaceful, heavenly video shot last year at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, courtesy of Justin Barr.

Every year, in the middle of December, wreaths are placed at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery by Wreaths Across America. The wreaths are sponsored by don...

Happy Holidays! Enjoy every moment of this special season, as you relax and spend time with loved ones. Reach out to a V...
23/12/2022

Happy Holidays! Enjoy every moment of this special season, as you relax and spend time with loved ones. Reach out to a Veteran and extend sincere gratitude for serving our country! And please keep in your thoughts our service members who cannot be home for the holidays because they are on duty around the world, away from their families, keeping us safe.

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This is a historic first at Riverside National Cemetery - the first  fulltime VA chaplain to serve at a national cemeter...
22/12/2022

This is a historic first at Riverside National Cemetery - the first fulltime VA chaplain to serve at a national cemetery. Riverside is the largest and busiest of NCA's 155 national cemeteries - last fiscal year more than 8,200 interments took place there.
Welcome aboard Chaplain Flanders!

We are pleased to announce that Riverside National Cemetery now has a full-time chaplain to coordinate clergy services and connect Veterans and family members to grief support.

Rev. Caroline Flanders was hired as part of two-year pilot program to explore how having an on-site chaplain can assist Veterans, families and team members connect with grief support and clergy services. She is part of the National VA Chaplain Service, which has 873 chaplains across the country at VA Medical Centers and is the first chaplain hired to support a VA National Cemetery. If the pilot is successful, the goal is to place other chaplains at the busiest VA National Cemeteries.

Chaplain Flanders will provide ecclesiastic and bereavement consultative services, but she will not officiate committal services. Riverside National Cemetery is the largest and busiest VA National Cemetery. They conduct close 8,500 committal services each year and there can be up to seven committal services at one time. She has extensive ties to the community and can assist families finding the clergy of their choice for their loved ones’ committal service.

Chaplain Flanders is a Veteran of the United States Navy Hospital Corps (Desert Storm Era). A graduate of Loma Linda University School of Religion, Chaplain Flanders is ordained and endorsed by the Centers for Spiritual Living. She has previously served the local community as a licensed funeral director. Most recently, Chaplain Flanders has served as a medical chaplain for Riverside Community Hospital and as the Director of Supportive Care Services for Advantage Health Systems.

We’re excited to have Chaplain Flanders as part of our team! Please call 951-653-8411 or email: [email protected] to reach her.

20/12/2022

A Divided State Within A Divided Nation

Missouri was the site of over 1,100 battles and skirmishes during the Civil War. Many of those who died were buried at or near where they fought. After the war, the Army sought out these sites and, in 1869, brought as many of the Union dead as possible to JBNC to rest near those who had shared their cause during the war. As a result, there are 10,217 Union soldiers interred at the cemetery.

Some great photos from Yellowstone National Cemetery. Once again, thank you to Ed Saunders, Young Marines and all the Sc...
19/12/2022

Some great photos from Yellowstone National Cemetery. Once again, thank you to Ed Saunders, Young Marines and all the Scouts (Boy, Girl and Cub) who helped honor our Veterans.

Today dozens of VA National Cemeteries held ceremonies for placing of wreaths. Here are some of the pictures. Thank you ...
17/12/2022

Today dozens of VA National Cemeteries held ceremonies for placing of wreaths. Here are some of the pictures. Thank you to everyone who volunteered.

Spending time to honor our fallen heroes is always rewarding and deeply appreciated.

Today in 1944, Germany launched a surprise attack capturing tens of thousands of American prisoners. One of them was 1st...
16/12/2022

Today in 1944, Germany launched a surprise attack capturing tens of thousands of American prisoners. One of them was 1st Edward Olecki from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Assigned to the 106th Division, he was among the two of the division’s regiments eliminated in the offensive.

Born in Scranton, Olecki attended Technical High School before working at the Jaunty Silk Company and the Crucible Steel Company. In 1941 he married Sabina Sawicki, both of polish descent.

Olecki was sent to basic training in Fort Hood, Texas in 1944, and then on to paratrooper training at Fort Benning, Georgia. It’s unclear if he finished jump school as he suffered a broken big toe in October 1944 and was shipped to Europe shortly after. At the time his brother Joseph was already fighting in Germany and brother Chester, in Italy.

He would spend 102 days as a prisoner of war and discharged from the Army November 1945. He would earn a Bronze Star Medal.

After the war he would be active in many Veterans organizations, including the Polish Legion of American Veterans Post #184.

He would remarry in 1959 to Arline Thomas. It would last 51 years until his death in 2010. She would pass in 2013. They are interred together at Florida National Cemetery.

Leave a tribute to him, or any Veteran in a VA or state Veterans Cemetery at:

https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/EDWARDJOLECKI/169C340

Photo Credits:
From Scantonian January, 21, 1945
Gravestone from VLM
Obituary Scranton Times Tribune May 18, 2010.
104th Emblem Wikipedia.
Marriage announcement Scranton Tribune, July 31, 1941.

15/12/2022

I'm short on change, Grandpa. How about a Coke? 🥤 Aidan Cunningham is a student at Maple View Middle School. Aidan’s grandfather, Edward Patrick Gowan, is a Marine Corps Veteran who passed away 12 years ago before Aidan had the chance to meet him. But Aidan gets the chance to visit his grandfather all the time—Edward Patrick Gowan is buried at Tahoma National Cemetery. When Aidan was invited to be part of his school’s Veterans Day project, he knew he couldn’t pass up the chance to honor heroes like his grandfather.

Aidan and his family visit Gowan’s headstone every year and place a penny on it to honor their visit. According to tradition, a penny on the headstone means you visited, a nickel signifies having trained at boot camp together, a dime is left for someone you served with, and a quarter means you were there when the Veteran died.

As Aidan came across his grandfather’s headstone during this year’s Veterans Day flag-planting project, he didn’t have a penny on him. So instead, Aidan decided to leave behind his grandfather’s favorite drink: a can of Coca-Cola.

“I love that I got to do something on my own,” Aidan said. “And I love that I got to see others outside of my family honoring our Veterans.”

Read the full story: https://www.tahomasd.us/news/announcements/students_honor_veterans_at_national_cemetery

, the Bill of Rights was established by Congress in 1791.The events leading up to this date began with Rep. James Madiso...
15/12/2022

, the Bill of Rights was established by Congress in 1791.

The events leading up to this date began with Rep. James Madison introducing a series of proposed amendments to the newly ratified U.S. Constitution, June 8, 1789. That summer the House of Representatives debated Madison’s proposal, and on August 24 the House passed 17 amendments to be added to the Constitution. Those 17 amendments were then sent to the Senate.

The Senate began debating the amendments, September 2, as proposed and passed in the House. They altered and consolidated the House amendments into 12 articles, Sept. 9, 1789, and Congress agreed to the amendments, September 25.

Articles three through 12 were ratified and became the Bill of Rights, Dec. 15, 1791.
NCA salutes members of the US military who fought and died the for rights and privileges enshrined in our Constitution.

Under Secretary Quinn and the leadership team at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston today to encourage ...
14/12/2022

Under Secretary Quinn and the leadership team at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston today to encourage Veterans to be screened and apply for benefits under the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021, or PACT Act.
There are millions of Veterans and survivors across America who may have been exposed to toxic substances while they were serving and who are eligible for new health care and benefits as a result of the PACT Act.
Learn more about the PACT Act – and apply – by visiting VA.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MY-VA-411.

Under Secretary Quinn visited the team at Houston National Cemetery yesterday. More than 3,700 interments took place at ...
14/12/2022

Under Secretary Quinn visited the team at Houston National Cemetery yesterday. More than 3,700 interments took place at the cemetery last year, with more than 113,000 Veterans and family members interred since the cemetery opened in 1965.

Happy 386th Birthday to The National Guard!!!The National Guard is the oldest military organization in the United States...
13/12/2022

Happy 386th Birthday to The National Guard!!!
The National Guard is the oldest military organization in the United States, predating the founding of our nation by 140 years. The first regiments of militia were organized by order of the General Court (the legislature) of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on this date in 1636. Since then, the militia (the name "National Guard" did not become universal until the early 1900's) has fought in every American war.
Painting "The First Muster", a National Guard Heritage Painting by Don Troiani, courtesy the National Guard Bureau.

Photos from Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency's post
13/12/2022

Photos from Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency's post

Photos from Great Lakes National Cemetery's post
13/12/2022

Photos from Great Lakes National Cemetery's post

Photos from Veterans Legacy Program's post
13/12/2022

Photos from Veterans Legacy Program's post

, the American Veterans (AMVETS) was founded. AMVETS is a non-partisan, volunteer-led organization formed by  Veterans o...
10/12/2022

, the American Veterans (AMVETS) was founded. AMVETS is a non-partisan, volunteer-led organization formed by Veterans of the US military. It advocates for its members as well as for causes that its members deem helpful to the nation at large. The group holds a Federal charter under Title 36 of the United States Code. It is a 501(c)19 organization.

Harold Russell, the handless World War II veteran and Academy Award winner for The Best Years of Our Lives, served three terms as National Commander in the 1950s. AMVETS presents its annual Silver Helmet Awards to "recognize excellence and achievement in Americanism, defense, rehabilitation, congressional service and other fields.



Photo: Harold Russell - Wikipedia

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, American men, and women, both young and old responded to volunte...
09/12/2022

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, American men, and women, both young and old responded to volunteer to serve in the American armed forces. Harvey Weir Cook, a World War I ace, passionately lobbying for an assignment to the front lines and was able to re-enter active duty with the Army Air Corps as a procurement officer.

Cook was born on June 30, 1892, to Dr. B. H. Cook and after graduating from Andersonville high school, he attended college until early 1917. Then he left for France to be an ambulance driver. When the U.S. finally entered World War I, he enlisted with the U.S. Army Signal Corps Aviation Section. Following his flight training, he was assigned to the 94th Aero Squadron and serviced with Captain Eddie Rickenbacker's, a famous flying ace. Cook was credited with seven victories, including 4 enemy balloons. He was noted for his tenacity in combat and was twice cited for singly attacking formations of multiple German fighters. For his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross twice and promoted to captain.

His citations read: “The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Harvey Weir Cook, Captain (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Bois-de-Dole, France, August 1, 1918. Sighting six enemy monoplanes at an altitude of 3,500 meters, Captain Cook, attacked them despite their numerical superiority, shooting down one and driving off the others.”

“The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Harvey Weir Cook, Captain (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Crepion, France, October 30, 1918. Captain Cook attacked three enemy biplanes at an altitude of 1,000 meters. After a few minutes of severe fighting his guns jammed, but after clearing the jam he returned to the attack, shot down one of his adversaries in flames, and forced the other two to retire to their own lines.” Cook was honorably discharged from the 94th Aero Squadron June 2, 1919 and assumed command of the 147th Aero Squadron September 18, 1919. On December 26, 1919 Cook was relieved of command of 147th Aero Squadron and honorably discharged.

Cook and fellow flying ace, Rickenbacker became friends, known to each other as "Weird" and "Rick." Both Cook and Rickenbacker, were strong proponents of better training for rookie combat pilots, having themselves benefited from aerial combat training by Lafayette Escadrille veteran Raoul Lufbery and others.

After December 7, 1941, Cook achieved the rank of colonel in the 38th Division of the Indiana Air Guard located in Indianapolis. After intensely lobbying for an assignment to the front lines, Cook went back into the Army Air Corps service as a procurement officer and became the commander of air bases in New Caledonia. It was no surprise that working in supply, he couldn’t be kept out of the cockpit.

While hunting for the submarine, Cook misjudged his altitude because of cloudy weather and struck the side of a mountain (Ouassio Hill) killing him instantly.

He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Section O, Grave 440. In his honor, the Indianapolis Municipal Airport was renamed Weir Cook Municipal Airport and in 1944 a Liberty ship was named H. Weir Cook. Prior to his death and after World War I, Cook helped to form the U.S. Army’s U.S. Air Mail Service and was one of the first transcontinental airmail pilots. During Cook's time as a civilian in living in the state of Indiana, Cook served for many years as director and vice president of the American Legion National Aeronautics Commission in Indianapolis and was later the first American Legion National Director of Aviation. Cook was also instrumental in the Smithsonian eventually recognizing the Wright Brothers’ contributions to the brother’s flight at “Kitty Hawk” in 1903 as the first powered aircraft flight.

You can leave a tribute to him at the VA's online memorial, here: https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/HARVEYWEIRCOOK/932BF28


PHOTO CREDITS:
Portrait and grave marker: Findagrave.com
Training manual & by biplane: Encyclopedia of Indiana
News article: Indianapolis News December 20, 1943

For  Remembrance Day, we salute  Chief Fire Controlman, Daniel F. Harris.Harris was interred yesterday at Fort Rosecrans...
08/12/2022

For Remembrance Day, we salute Chief Fire Controlman, Daniel F. Harris.

Harris was interred yesterday at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, 81 years after the attack at . He was aboard the USS Oklahoma during the attack. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced Harris, who was 41 years old, was accounted for June 24, 2019. There is no disclosure as to why he is now being interred years after his remains were identified.

Harris was born, July 21, 1901, in South Carolina to James Wesley and Hattie Lee (Charles) Harris. In 1925 he married Ethel Lillina Husslebee in Sommerville, however she died in 1930. It is believed he remarried to Aina Alexandria “Ellida” Lehtonen with whom he had one daughter in 1939. The 1940 census recorded him living in San Diego as a Chief Fire Controlman with his wife and 8-month-old daughter. He only had a fourth-grade education.

During his tenure, he earned the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, WW II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and Navy Expeditionary Medal.

 in 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his "Day of Infamy Speech." Immediately afterward, Congress declared war...
08/12/2022

in 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his "Day of Infamy Speech." Immediately afterward, Congress declared war, and the United States entered World War II.
Early in the afternoon of December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt and his chief foreign policy aide, Harry Hopkins, were notified that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor. At about 5 p.m., following meetings with his military advisers, the President calmly and decisively dictated a request to Congress for a declaration of war. He had composed the speech in his head after deciding on a brief, uncomplicated appeal to the people of the United States rather than a thorough recitation of Japanese treachery, as Secretary of State Cordell Hull had urged.
President Roosevelt then revised the typed draft—marking it up, updating military information, and selecting alternative wordings that strengthened the tone of the speech. He made the most significant change in the critical first line, which originally read, "a date which will live in world history."
On December 8, at 12:30 p.m., Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress and, via radio, the nation. The Senate responded with a unanimous vote in support of war. At 4 p.m. that same afternoon, President Roosevelt signed the declaration of war.

Photos from Rock Island National Cemetery's post
07/12/2022

Photos from Rock Island National Cemetery's post

Photos from Fort Snelling National Cemetery's post
07/12/2022

Photos from Fort Snelling National Cemetery's post

Aaron Wallace (l.) and Felix Bulatao, caretakers at Beaufort National Cemetery, South Carolina, placed a wreath on the g...
07/12/2022

Aaron Wallace (l.) and Felix Bulatao, caretakers at Beaufort National Cemetery, South Carolina, placed a wreath on the grave of Steward’s Mate First Class Benjamin Gilliard on the anniversary of his death and in memory of all those lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. STM 1C Gilliard was serving on the USS Oklahoma when it was attacked and sunk. Of the 21 ships sunk or damaged during the attack, the Oklahoma was one of only three ships that could not be repaired and returned to service. Originally interred on Oahu, STM 1C Gilliard’s remains were brought to their final resting spot in Beaufort National Cemetery on Nov. 7, 1947.

Today is  Remembrance Day. On this day in 1941, the USS Shaw sustained major damage from several bomb hits by Japanese f...
07/12/2022

Today is Remembrance Day. On this day in 1941, the USS Shaw sustained major damage from several bomb hits by Japanese forces during the attack. The explosion of her forward magazine is one of the most iconic photos of the war. While most of those killed at Pearl Harbor were initially buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, many ended up in other national cemeteries. One of the largest group burials of Pearl Harbor is at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, where 19 sailors who died aboard the USS Shaw are interred.

The ship was repaired within a few months after the attack and served in the Pacific throughout , earning 11 battle stars. She was Decommissioned on Oct. 2, 1945, and her hull was scrapped in July 1946.

Today is National Volunteer Day. Simply put, the NCA couldn't complete its mission without our great volunteers. Please ...
05/12/2022

Today is National Volunteer Day. Simply put, the NCA couldn't complete its mission without our great volunteers. Please take some time to read about our great volunteers!

We salute all the volunteers who fire the rifles, plant the flags, fly the planes, find the lost, apply for the headstones or medallions, trim the trees, write the stories, post the pictures online, place the wreaths, clean the headstones, greet the visitors, comfort the bereaved or the myriad other ways they help honor our Veterans. That includes the numerous organizations large and small that are too numerous to name.

This past week, NCA's North Atlantic District (NAD) in Philly was presented with two awards in recognition of outstandin...
02/12/2022

This past week, NCA's North Atlantic District (NAD) in Philly was presented with two awards in recognition of outstanding 2022 All Employee Survey results. On behalf of the VA Secretary, Ms. Lisa Pozzebon, Executive Director for Cemetery Operations presented the North Atlantic District with two award plaques recognizing the district as a Top Scoring and Most Improved site for their AES results. NAD cemeteries joined the presentation virtually.

Photos from Veterans Legacy Program's post
01/12/2022

Photos from Veterans Legacy Program's post

In 2018, U.S. Army Veteran and former Korean War POW Arden Rowley spoke to the VA about his experiences as a POW.  You c...
01/12/2022
Lost – Found – Returned.

In 2018, U.S. Army Veteran and former Korean War POW Arden Rowley spoke to the VA about his experiences as a POW. You can view a small part of that interview here:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw2zb__ReY4 )

He tells of the heartbreaking experience of seeing fellow POW, Army Sgt. Allen Tuttle die.

A year after the interview, Rowley passed away.

Due to the ceaseless diligence of the Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency, Tuttle’s remains have been identified and will be returned to his family - nearly 72 years after his death. https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/3205089/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-tuttle-a/

Tuttle will be buried later this month in Bellevue, Washington.

A poignant story of how the National Cemetery Administration and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency partner to bring home and honor Servicemembers still u...

USMA Matt Quinn checked in on cemetery director Doug Ledbetter and the team at historic Dayton National Cemetery today.D...
01/12/2022

USMA Matt Quinn checked in on cemetery director Doug Ledbetter and the team at historic Dayton National Cemetery today.
Dayton, Ohio, is home to one of the oldest national cemeteries in the country. It was established as the permanent burial site for residents of the Central Branch of the National Asylum for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in 1867. Management of these facilities was transferred from the U.S. Army/National Home system to the newly created Veterans Administration in 1930.

In 1941, the first and only indoor columbarium in a VA national cemetery opened at Los Angeles National Cemetery. At the...
01/12/2022

In 1941, the first and only indoor columbarium in a VA national cemetery opened at Los Angeles National Cemetery. At the time it reflected the start of a growing trend on the West Coast for both cremating remains and interring them in above-ground structures. That trend has grown nationally in the decades since; today more than half of all interments are cremains, and every new VA national cemetery has a columbarium (though unlike at LANC, all of these are outdoor structures).
Learn more in this week's entry of The History of VA in 100 Objects - https://www.va.gov/HISTORY/100_Objects/048_Columbarium_floor_plan.asp

USMA Quinn is in Dayton, Ohio today, visiting with the team at Dayton VA Medical Center and touring the site of the futu...
01/12/2022

USMA Quinn is in Dayton, Ohio today, visiting with the team at Dayton VA Medical Center and touring the site of the future VA History Center!

Photos from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs's post
01/12/2022

Photos from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs's post

It’s Native American Heritage Month. The Navajo Code Talkers are an acclaimed group of Marines who spoke in their native...
30/11/2022

It’s Native American Heritage Month. The Navajo Code Talkers are an acclaimed group of Marines who spoke in their native language allowing for unencrypted communication that confounded the Japanese.

Pfc. Bill Toledo served with the 3rd Marine Division in the Pacific, including Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima.

He was born in Torreon, New Mexico and joined the Marines in October 1942 along with his uncle, Frank, and cousin, Preston. All would become code talkers.

In general he said he got along with the Marines in his unit, but he did experience discrimination, “But the bunch I was with we worked together. We were always working together helping each other,” he said.

After the war, he struggled with PTSD, but a traditional Enemy Way Healing Ceremony in 1970 helped rid him of it.

Pfc. Bill Toledo died May 5, 2016 and is interred at Santa Fe National Cemetery. He was 92.


You can leave tribute to him here: https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/BILLHENRYTOLEDO/33F2D52

An interview he did with the National Archives is available here:
https://www.loc.gov/collections/veterans-history-project-collection/serving-our-voices/diverse-experiences-in-service/legacies-of-service-celebrating-native-americans/item/afc2001001.54889/-service_history
Photo Credits: Dress blues, Library of Congress website
Veterans Legacy Memorial
Obituary, Sante Fe New Mexican May 7, 2016

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