On July 17, 1862, Congress enacted legislation that authorized the President to purchase “cemetery grounds” to be used as national cemeteries “for soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country.” Fourteen cemeteries were established that first year, including one in the sleepy Maryland town of Sharpsburg where 4,476 Union soldiers were laid to rest after the one day of terrible slaughter that was the Battle of Antietam. (By way of comparison, approximately 3,000 Americans, British and Canadians died on June 6, 1944, in the invasion of Normandy).
More than 3 million Americans, including veterans of every war and conflict—from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War—are honored by burial in VA’s national cemeteries. Approximately 17,000 acres of land from Hawaii to Maine, and from Alaska to Puerto Rico are devoted to the memorialization of those who served this nation. More than 300 recipients of the Medal of Honor are buried in VA’s national cemeteries.
Today, there are 141 national cemeteries in all. VA, through its National Cemetery Administration, administers 125 of them. Two national Cemeteries—Arlington and Soldiers Home—are still administered by the Army. Fourteen national cemeteries are maintained by the Department of the Interior.
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
- Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
- Golden Gate National Cemetery
- Los Angeles National Cemetery
- Riverside National Cemetery
- San Francisco National Cemetery
- San Joaquin National Cemetery
Colorado
Florida
- Barrancas National Cemetery
- Bay Pines National Cemetery
- Florida National Cemetery
- St. Augustine National Cemetery
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
- Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery
- Alton National Cemetery
- Camp Butler National Cemetery
- Danville National Cemetery
- Mound City National Cemetery
- Quincy National Cemetery
- Rock Island National Cemetery
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
- Camp Nelson National Cemetery
- Cave Hill National Cemetery
- Danville National Cemetery
- Lebanon National Cemetery
- Lexington National Cemetery
- Mill Springs National Cemetery
- Zachary Taylor National Cemetery
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
- Bath National Cemetery
- Calverton National Cemetery
- Cypress Hills National Cemetery
- Long Island National Cemetery
- Saratoga National Cemetery
- Woodlawn National Cemetery
North Carolina
- New Bern National Cemetery
- Raleigh National Cemetery
- Salisbury National Cemetery
- Wilmington National Cemetery
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
- Chattanooga National Cemetery
- Knoxville National Cemetery
- Memphis National Cemetery
- Mountain Home National Cemetery
- Nashville National Cemetery
Texas
- Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery
- Fort Bliss National Cemetery
- Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
- Houston National Cemetery
- Kerrville National Cemetery
- San Antonio National Cemetery
Virginia
- Alexandria National Cemetery
- Balls Bluff National Cemetery
- City Point National Cemetery
- Cold Harbor National Cemetery
- Culpeper National Cemetery
- Danville National Cemetery
- Fort Harrison National Cemetery
- Glendale National Cemetery
- Hampton National Cemetery
- Hampton National Cemetery, VAMC
- Quantico National Cemetery
- Richmond National Cemetery
- Seven Pines National Cemetery
- Staunton National Cemetery
- Winchester National Cemetery
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin