Posted on 01/04/2006 11:32:53 AM PST by anymouse
Department of Veterans Affairs News Release
The burial locations of more than 5 million veterans for whom the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has provided grave markers are now available on the Internet, as well as the information inscribed on the markers. Online since April 2004, the nationwide gravesite locator ( http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov ) helps veterans' families, former comrades-in-arms and others find the graves of veterans.
VA recently added 1.9 million records for veterans buried primarily in private cemeteries to its database. The gravesite locator previously carried records on 3 million veterans buried in VA national cemeteries since the Civil War, and in state veterans cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery since 1999.
“The expansion of this innovative program continues VA’s commitment to using Internet technology to fulfill the important mission of memorializing our nation’s veterans,” said the Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. “By adding records to our online database, VA also helps families research their genealogy and ensures that future generations of Americans will be able to honor these veterans for their service.”
The new records date from January 1997, the earliest time for which electronic records exist. The information comes from applications made for these veterans’ headstones or markers. Beyond the 5 million records now available, VA continues to add approximately 1,000 new records to the database each day.
Last year, VA furnished nearly 369,000 inscribed headstones and markers for veterans’ graves worldwide.
Internet users only need to provide the last name of the deceased veteran or dependent. Typically, the information available includes name, birth and death dates, rank, branch of service and the address and phone number of the cemetery.
Veterans whose discharges are other than dishonorable, their spouses and dependent children may be buried in a national cemetery, regardless of where they live. No advance reservations are made. VA provides perpetual care, as well as a headstone or marker, a burial flag and a memorial certificate to survivors.
Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from a VA Web site at www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.
Always remember those who gave it all for our freedom.
This works. I input my brother's name and the information was accurate.
Found my brother in law's information.
Thanks for the link. I know I've been to the VA site in the past year but I missed this somehow. This will be wonderful for putting info into my ancestry database.
Missing my father and father-in-law
ping
In 1999 I was able to have the VA place a headstone on my g-g-grandfather's grave. His name was Orlando Levy and he served during the Mexican-American War. He died in 1906 and for an unknown reason a headstone was never placed on his grave. I obtained copies of his service records from the National Archives, applied to the VA and they sent a headstone for his grave. His name is listed in this index.
Thank you for the post.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.