National Cemetery Administration

In the summer of 1862, thousands had already died in the second summer of a terrible war that few believed would last more than several months. On July 17, Congress enacted legislation authorizing the President to purchase "cemetery grounds" to be used as national cemeteries "for soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country."

It was in 1873 that all honorably discharged veterans became eligible for burial in national cemeteries. The National Cemetery Administration has evolved slowly since the initial period of great challenge associated with the Civil War. NCA currently maintains more than 2.2 million gravesites at 115 national cemeteries in 39 states (and Puerto Rico) as well as 34 soldier’s lots and monument sites.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration can provide limited burial location assistance to family members and close friends of decedents thought to be buried in a VA national cemetery.

They will research our records to determine if a decedent is buried in one of VA’s 115 national cemeteries. They cannot search for large groups on the basis of surname, military unit, war period or place of residence. A request can include up to a maximum of ten specific names.

They do not have information on persons buried in cemeteries other than VA’s 115 national cemeteries and their records do not contain any personal, military or family information on the decedents. They can only tell you if the individual is buried in a VA national cemetery and where.

No form is required to request this information and no fee is charged. When requesting a burial location search, please provide the following information on each individual:

• Full name, including any alternate spellings
  
• Date and place of birth
  
• Date and place of death
  
• State from which the individual entered active duty
  
• Military service branch

Most requests take approximately three weeks for a reply. Be sure to include your return mailing address, phone number or Internet e-mail address with your request and send it to: