Fort Richardson National Cemetery

Fort Richardson National Cemetery
Details
Established 1942–1943 [1]
Location Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska
Country United States of America
Coordinates 61°16′31″N 149°39′37″W / 61.27528°N 149.66028°W / 61.27528; -149.66028 (Fort Richardson National Cemetery (Anchorage))Coordinates: 61°16′31″N 149°39′37″W / 61.27528°N 149.66028°W / 61.27528; -149.66028 (Fort Richardson National Cemetery (Anchorage)), Elevation: 367 feet (112 m)[2]
Type United States National Cemetery
Owned by United States Army
Size 39 acres (16 ha)[1]
No. of graves 4,527 (2006)[1]
Website Official
Find a Grave Fort Richardson National Cemetery
Fort Richardson National Cemetery
Coordinates 61°16′31″N 149°39′37″W / 61.27528°N 149.66028°W / 61.27528; -149.66028
NRHP reference # 12000056[3]
Added to NRHP March 7, 2012

Fort Richardson National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located on the Fort Richardson United States Army installation near Anchorage, Alaska. It encompasses 39 acres (16 ha) and as of the end of 2006, it had 4,527 interments.[1] For much of the year, the grave sites are inaccessible due to snow fall.

History

Established during World War II, the site was set aside to bury soldiers of any nationality who died in Alaska. After the war, many of the remains were disinterred and returned to their places of origin, but some remained in the cemetery, including 235 Japanese soldiers who died in the Battle of the Aleutian Islands which were exhumed in 1953 to be cremated in proper Shinto and Buddhist ceremonies under the supervision of Japanese government representatives. In 1981, Japanese residents of Anchorage erected a marker at the site of their interment.[1]

On May 28, 1984 the cemetery became a National Cemetery, administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Notable monuments

  • A memorial stone gateway for Major Kermit Roosevelt, erected in 1949.
  • The Japan Monument, first erected in 1981 to honor the 235 Japanese interred at the cemetery. It was replaced with a new monument in 2002.

Notable interments

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cemeteries – Fort Richardson National Cemetery". US Dept of Veterans' Affairs.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fort Richardson National Cemetery
  3. ↑ "Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 3/05/12 through 3/09/12". National Park Service. March 16, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
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