United States Military Cemetery Records
Online Resources[edit | edit source]
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- 1775-2006 U.S. Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2006- index, Ancestry ($)
- 1775-2013 U.S. Veterans Burial Sites, 1775 - 2013 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1775-2019: US Veterans' Gravesites at Ancestry - index only ($); Also at MyHeritage ($), Findmypast ($)
- 1879-1903: US Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1925-1949: US Headstone Applications for US Military Veterans at FamilySearch; index & images
- Military Burials Database American Battle Monuments Commission; index only
- Nationwide Gravesite Locator at National Cemetery Administration; index only
Cemetery Records[edit | edit source]
National Cemetery Administration[edit | edit source]
National Cemetery Administration
- Department of Veteran Affairs
- 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
- Washington, D.C. 20422
This web site has administration news; national veterans cemetery addresses; information about burial, headstones, state veterans cemetery grant programs, and links to other sites for locating veterans; and military records.
A Nationwide Gravesite Locator is now available online from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It has burial records of veterans and their family members from VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, and other veterans cemeteries around the country. The site also provides links to maps of the cemeteries.
FamilySearch Catalog
- Edward C. Bearse. National Cemetery System : the birth and evolution of the National Cemetery System (typescript)
- Veterans national cemetery records, Illinois
- Maine. Togus National Cemetery records
- Interments of the National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1863-1939
Headstones and Markers[edit | edit source]
- Headstones, Markers,and Medallions
- Pre-World War I Era Headstones and Markers
- Headstones and Marker Inscription Abbreviations
- Emblems of Belief
National Genealogical Society[edit | edit source]
- Claire Prechtel-Kluskens.Headstone Records for US Military Veterans. Part I:Headstone Design NGS Magazine 39 #1 (January-March 2013): 30- 33. FS Library 973 D25ngs
- Claire Prechtel-Kluskens.Headstone Records for US Military Veterans. Part II: Records for Headstones Requested from 1879 to 1925." NGS Magazine 39 #2 (April-June 2013): 32-35. FS Library 973 D25ngs
- Clair Prechtel-Kluskens. Records of Burial Flags for Veterans." NGS Magazine 42 #4 (October-December 2016): 39-42. FS Library 973 D25ngs
- John P. Deeben. Last Rites for the Honored Dead: Records of Military Burials in National Cemeteries. NGS Magazine (January-March 2011): 15-18. FS Library 973 D25ngs
Arlington National Cemetery[edit | edit source]
- Arlington National Cemetery
- History of Arlington National Cemetery
- Find a Grave:Arlington National Cemetery app.:ANC Explorer
- Section 27: Casualties of War and Honorary War Veterans
- Monuments and Memorials
- Site Index
- Arlington National cemetery - National Park Service
- Arlington National Cemetery - Wikipedia
FamilySearch Catalog
- James Edward Peters. Arlington National Cemetery, shrine to America's heroes. Kensington, Maryland : Woodbine House, 1986. FS Library 975.5295 V3p
- Robert M. Poole. On hallowed ground : the story of Arlington National Cemetery. New York, New York : Walker & Company, 2009. FS Library 975.5295/A1 V3p
- Philip Bigler. In honored glory : Arlington National Cemetery: the final post.Arlington, Virginia : Vandamere Press, 1986 FS Library 975.5295 V3b
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Wikipedia Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Address of the President of the United States. November 11, 1921
- The Old Guard History of the Third Infantry Regiment
- Society of the Honor Guard Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific[edit | edit source]
- American Battle Monuments Commission - Courts of the Missing Description
- National Cemetery Administration
- Wikipedia
National Park Service[edit | edit source]
- National Parks and National Cemeteries
- National Cemetery Project Post Half-Million Indexed Names of Civil War Burials
- Locating Graves at Vicksburg National Cemetery
National Archives[edit | edit source]
- The National Archives also has applications for headstones for soldiers and veterans buried in private cemeteries between 1879–1964.
- Honoring Our Dead. The Evolution of the Government Policy on Headstones for Fallen Soldiers and Sailors.
- Claire Kluskens. Research Guide for Headstone Records for US Military Burials in Nonfederal Cemeteries, 1879-1985
National Archives Catalog[edit | edit source]
Selected Collections
- Card Register of Burials of Deceased American Soldiers, 1917-1922 - National Archives Catalog Image search through the National Archives Catalog
- Burial Reports, 1919-1920 - National Archives Catalog Image search through the National Archives Catalog
- Applications for Headstones, 1/1/1925 - 6/30/1970 NAID 596118
- Applications for Headstones and Markers, 7/1/1970 - 9/30/1985 NAID 6016127
- Internment Files, 1.1.1982 -12.31.1982 NAID 112396059
- Records of Interments at the Los Angeles National Cemetery, ca. 1890 - 1975 NAID 18235568
- Records of Interments in the Veteran's Plot at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ca. 1883 - 1981 NAID 18235571
- Records of Interments at National Cemeteries, ca. 1862 - ca. 1984 NAID 1224994
War Department. Office of the Quartermaster General. Administrative History[edit | edit source]
- Cemeterial Branch 4.11.1919-.2.26.1920 NAID 10511905
- Graves Registration Service. 3.15.1922-ca. 1924 NAID 10463044
- Cemeterial Division. ca. 1924-6.15.1930 NAID 10462859
- Memorial Branch. 6.15.1930-12.27.1940. NAID 10462860
- Quartermaster General, Memorial Division, Interment Control Forms, 1928 - 1962
Department of Defense[edit | edit source]
- Dept. of the Army. Office of the Quartermaster General. Memorial Division. 9.18.1947-1962. NAID 10463043
- Office of Support Services. Memorial Division. Cemetery Branch. ca. 1963-ca. 1968 NAID 10459672
- Records Regarding Internments and Disinterments at Cemeteries Located at Abandoned Military Installations, 1874 - 1947. NAID 6923484
Department of Veterans Affairs[edit | edit source]
- National Cemetery Administration NAID 10470429
- Burial Registers 1867-2006 NAID 5928352
Veteran Grave Registration Records[edit | edit source]
Some states and counties have grave registration records that identify the graves of soldiers buried in local cemeteries. You can usually find these by contacting the state archives or state library or historical society. The FamilySearch Library has statewide veteran grave registrations for the following states:
- Florida Register of deceased veterans, Florida (FS Library film 6716)
- Indiana David Stevenson, A.M Indiana's roll of honor 2 volumes. Indianapolis, Indiana : A.D. Streight, 1864-1866 Civil War
- Indiana American Legion record book of burials in Indiana
- Illinois Soldiers burial places in state of Illinois for wars, 1774-1898 (31 FS Library films beginning with 1001183)
- Kentucky Index to veterans of American wars from Kentucky (47 FS Library film beginning with 471728)
- Maine Cemetery index of veterans (11 FS Library films beginning with 1001841), and Veterans cemetery records (15 FS Library film beginning with 1001826)
- Ohio Grave registrations of soldiers buried in Ohio (92 FS Library films beginning with 182702)
- Rhode Island Rhode Island historical cemeteries master book (FS Library film 954938)
- South Dakota South Dakota grave registration project; cemetery information (17 FS Library films beginning with 1295750)
- Utah Records of veterans with Federal service buried in Utah, territorial to 1966 (19 FS Library films beginning with 485245)
The state military pages may also have more information for cemetery records for their respective states.
To find additional soldier burials and veteran grave registrations of cemetery records in the FamilySearch Catalog, look in the Place Search under:
- [STATE] - CEMETERIES [STATE], [COUNTY], [CITY] - CEMETERIES
Below are additional selected collections:
- Butte County. California. Record of burial of ex-Union soldiers, sailors, marines and widows, 1886-1898
- Los Angeles Co. California. Veterans' grave registration to 1940
- Los Angeles Co. California. Burials to about 1952. Dept. of Soldier Burials
- Mendocino Co. California. Burial of ex Union soldiers and marines, 1890
- Willows. California. Cemetery records of deceased veterans of the world wars, 1865-1991
- Willows. California. Veteran's grave register, 1890-1991
- Crawford Co. Illinois. Honor roll
- Edwards Co. Illinois graves registration of veterans, 1865-1961
- Franklin Co. Indiana. Burial record of deceased ex-Union soldiers, sailors and marines, 1889-1902
- La Grange Co. Burial of soldiers, sailors and marines, 1889-1928
- Pike Co. Indiana. Burial record of deceased ex-Union soldiers, sailors and marines, 21 Sept. 1890 - 4 Aug. 1913
- Appanoose Co. Iowa. Armed forces grave registration record, 1863-1945
- Jefferson Co. Iowa. Soldiers of all wars buried in, 1830's to 1974
- Mills County. Iowa. Grave registrations, 1865-1937
- Monroe Co. Iowa veterans burials, 1860-1945
- Tama Co. Iowa. Soldiers grave registration, vol. 1,
- Wayne Co. Iowa. Armed Forces graves registration record, 1830-1950
- Berkshire Co. Massachusetts. WPA. veteran's graves registration,1774 -1941 8 rolls
- Worcester Co, Athol. Veterans' grave registrations of various cemeteries.
- Hillsdale Co. Michigan. [Soldier, sailor and marine burial reports, 1886-1922, 1945-1958
- Kent Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. Burial cards, A-Z, 1885-1981. Veterans Facility
- St. Joseph Co. Michigan. Soldiers and sailors burial record, 1922-1923
- Sanders Co. Montana. burial index for war veterans, 1929-2009
- Monmouth Co. New Jersey. Veterans grave registrations
- Trenton, New Jersey. Veteran burials, Riverview Cemetery
- Salem Co. New Jersey. Civil War records, 1861-1865
- Sussex Co. New Jersey. Veterans grave registration cards
- Wyoming Co. New York. Veterans buried in Grace Cemetery, Hope Cemetery and St. Mary's Cemetery in Castile
- Athens Co. Ohio. Deceased veteran grave registration card file index, 1819-1936
- Athens Co. Ohio. Soldiers burial record, 1898-1912
- Belmont Co. Ohio. Soldier's burial record, 1906-1924
- Clermont Co. Ohio. Record of the burial indigent soldiers and sailors, wives or widows
- Cuyahoga Co. Ohio. Record of the burial of soldiers by the County, 1914-1943
- Fairfield Co. Soldier's burial record, 1884-1936
- Hamilton Co. Ohio. Veterans grave registration, ca. 1776-1940
- Hardin Co. Ohio. Indigent soldiers burial records, 1900-1911
- Henry Co. Ohio. Record of registration of war veterans' graves, 1835-1976
- Hocking Co. Ohio. Veterans grave registration, ca. 1830-1930
- Indiana Co. Ohio. Burials of soldiers, sailors, and marines, 1890-1901
- Jackson Co. Ohio. Soldiers' burial records, 1914-1928 3 rolls
- Jefferson Co. Ohio. Veteran's grave registration cards, ca. 1850's-1980's
- Madison Co. Ohio. Record of registration of war veterans' graves, v. 1
- Madison Co. Ohio. Soldiers burial record, 1900-1927
- Meigs Co. Ohio. Veteran's grave registration card file, ca. 1880 - ca. 2001
- Morrow Co. Ohio. Record of registration of war veteran's graves, no. 1, 1841-1993
- Ross Co. Ohio. Veterans' graves registration, comp and indexed. Marie Taylor Clark
- Putnam Co. Ohio. Record of registration of war veterans' graves, 1860-1992
- Putnam Co. Ohio. Indigent soldiers' burial records, 1885-1912
- Trumbull Co. Ohio. Indigent soldiers' burial records, 1884-1917
- Van Wert Co. Ohio Indigent soldiers burial record, 1886-1926
- Vinton Co. Ohio. Veterans grave registration card file, ca. 1942-2001
- Washington Co. Ohio. Veterans graves registration card file, ca. 1950-2001
- Wyandot Co. Ohio. Cemetery record of deceased veterans of the world wars and record of registration of war veterans' graves, 1782-1972
- Wood Co. Ohio. Burial records of indigent soldiers 1897-1941
- Columbia Co Pennsylvania. Burials of Columbia county cemeteries for all wars
- Fayette Co. Pennsylvania. List of veterans' graves of all wars buried within ...
- Fulton Co. Pennsylvania. Record of honorable discharged soldier burials, 1896-1927
- Indiana Co. Pennsylvania. Veterans grave registration no. 1, Indiana County, Revolution and Civil Wars
- Lebanon Co. Pennsylvania. Veterans grave registration, v. 1 ; Veterans grave registration card file, 1800-1932
- McKean Co. Pennsylvania. Burials of cemeteries for veterans of all wars, 1778-1973
- Wayne Co. Pennsylvania. Record of burial places of veterans
- Brookings Co. South Dakota. Record of veterans buried in Brookings County
- Chattanooga Co. Tennessee. Interments of the National Cemetery, 1863-1939
- Spokane Co. Washington. Register of veterans' graves, 1884-1954
- Washburn Co. Wisconsin. Card index of veteran's graves in cemeteries in ...
Military Burials- FamilySearch Historical Records[edit | edit source]
- United States, Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations, 1768-1921
- United States Records of Headstones of Deceased union Veterans, 1879-1903
- United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949
- United States Register of Confederates and Civilians Who Died in the North, 1861-1865
- Georgia, Andersonville Prison Records, 1862-1865 Images include Deaths and Burials
- Illinois, Soldier Burial Places, 1774-1974
- Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations, ca. 1835-1998
- Iowa, Adjutant General's Office, Grave Registration Service, Cemetery Records, 1800-2000
- Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918
- Maine, State Archives, World War I (WWI) Grave Cards, 1914-1950
- Maine, Kennebec County, Togas National Cemetery Records
- Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records
- Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Cemetery Index, 1799-1999
- New Jersey, Essex County, Superintendent of Soldiers' Burials, 1776-1979
- New Jersey, Mercer County, Veteran's Service Office, Grave Registration Records, ca. 1770-ca.1979
- Ohio, Grave Registrations of Soldiers, 1810-1955
- Ohio, Veterans Home Deaths and Burials, 1889-1930
- Ohio, Athens County, Deceased Veteran Grave Registration Card File Index, 1819-1936
- Ohio, Carroll County, Veteran Grave Registrations, 1817-1980
- Ohio, Summit County, Veteran Burial Cards, 1700-1941
- Ohio, Washington County, Veterans graves registration card file, ca. 1950-2001
- South Dakota, Veteran Graves Registration Records,1940-1941
- Utah, Veterans with Federal Service Buried in Utah, Territorial to 1966
Overseas Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
American Battle Monuments Commission website, was created in 1923 to maintain memorials in the U.S. and 24 foreign countries where American forces have served. They have the names of 124,913 World War I and World War II war dead and the names of 94,093 soldiers listed as missing in action or buried at sea from four wars: World War I, World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War.
The American Battle Monuments Commission includes information about the purpose, composition, and history of the commission; details about each overseas cemetery; and the names of persons buried at many of their cemeteries. A Search ABMC Burials database is available on the website. By selecting the name, you will be provided with a page on the decedent, showing the cemetery and location of grave and additional information.
The following publications can help you find overseas cemeteries:
- American Memorials and Overseas Military Cemeteries Washington, D.C.: American Battle Monuments Commission, 1970. Contains descriptions of cemeteries in Europe where Americans are buried who died in World Wars I and II. FamilySearch Digital Library
- Nishiura, Elizabeth, ed. American Battle Monuments: A Guide to Military Cemeteries and Monuments Maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. Detroit: Omnigraphics, Inc., 1989. (FS Library book 973 V3am. Lists the public services offered by the commission plus a directory to their offices. It serves as a guide to cemeteries and memorials for the World Wars.
For further information contact:
- American Battle Monuments Commission
Casimir Pulaski Building
20 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20314-0300
Phone: 202-272-0533; 202-272-0532
- Thomas H. Conner. War and Remembrance. The Story of the American Battle Monuments Commission. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2018.
National Archives Catalog
- Card Register of Burials of Deceased American Soldiers. NAID 6943087.
- Card Register of Unconfirmed Disinterments and Burials, 1919. NAID 7347209
- Card List of Soldiers Whose Burials Were Confirmed, 1918-1920. NAID 7348290
- Card List of Soldiers Whose Burials Were Unconfirmed, 1918-1920. NAID 7348312
- Card List of Confirmed Burials of American Soldiers, 1917-1921. NAID 7348361
- Card List of Confirmed Disinterments and Reburials of American Soldiers, 1919-1922. NAID 7348362
- Applications for Headstones for Sailors, Marines, and Soldiers Buried Outside the Continental United States, 1909 - 1923. Includes images
- United States, National Archives, RG 117, Headstone Inscription and Interment Records
Cemetery Records by Conflict[edit | edit source]
- Colonial Wars, 1607 to 1763
- Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783
- War of 1812, 1812 to 1815
- Mexican War, 1846 to 1848
- Civil War, 1861 to 1865
- Indian Wars, 1780's-1890's
- Spanish-American War, 1898
- Philippine Insurrection, 1899 to 1902
- World War I, 1917 to 1918
- World War II, 1941 to 1945
- Korean War 1950 to 1953
- Vietnam War 1964 to 1972
Books and Manuscripts[edit | edit source]
The following book provides descriptions of national cemeteries, state veterans’ cemeteries, soldiers’ lots, and abandoned military cemeteries:
- Holt, Dean W. American Military Cemeteries: A Comprehensive Illustrated Guide to the Hallowed Grounds of the United States, including Cemeteries Overseas. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., Inc., 1992. (FS Library book 973 V3ho.)
- Dickon,Chris. The Foreign Burial of American War Dead: a history. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland Co., 2011. FS Library 973 M2dch
- Edward C Bearse. National Cemetery System : the birth and evolution of the National Cemetery System. Manuscript FamilySearch Digital Library.
Additional Sources
National Genealogical Society
- Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. Headstone records for US military veterans. Part I: Headstone design. NGS Magazine 39 #1 (January - March 2013): 30-33.
- Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. Headstone records for US military veterans. Part II: Records for headstones requested from 1879 to 1925. NGS Magazine 39 #2 (April-June 2013):32-35.
- John P. Deeben. Last rites for the honored dead: Records of military burials in national cemeteries. NGS Magazine 37 #1 (January-March 2011): 15-18.