Jacksonville National Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Jacksonville National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery
located within the city of Jacksonville, Florida
. It encompasses 526 acres (2.1 km²), and began interments on January 7, 2009.
was closed to interments in the 1990s, so the nearest location was the Florida National Cemetery
in Bushnell
, 143 miles from Jacksonville.
The Veterans Administration
was authorized to establish six new burial sites by the National Cemetery Act of 2003. Areas not served by an existing National Cemetery and containing at least 170,000 veteran residents included Bakersfield, California
; Birmingham, Alabama
; Jacksonville, Florida
; Sarasota County, Florida
; southeastern Pennsylvania and Columbia-
Greenville, South Carolina
.
The section under development will provide 8,145 gravesites, including 7,300 pre-placed crypt
s, 5,100 in-ground cremation sites and 4,992 columbarium
niches.
As of early May, 2011, the cemetery contained the remains of over 1,000 veterans, despite being open for 28 months. U.S. Representative Ander Crenshaw
toured the facility and commented, "I don't think I ever thought this would be as beautiful as it is. It reminds me of Arlington National Cemetery
- it can't help but give you goose bumps."
Cemetery officials expect the second construction stage to be completed near Memorial Day, 2011. There are also plans to build a new $24 million, two lane road from the existing Pecan Park Road to the cemetery, for direct access from Interstate 95
, but no timetable has been set.
United States National Cemetery
"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so...
located within the city of Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. It encompasses 526 acres (2.1 km²), and began interments on January 7, 2009.
History
The relatively close St. Augustine National CemeterySt. Augustine National Cemetery
St. Augustine National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005 had 2,788 interments. It is currently closed to new interments.- History :...
was closed to interments in the 1990s, so the nearest location was the Florida National Cemetery
Florida National Cemetery
Florida National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located near the city of Bushnell in Sumter County, Florida. It encompasses , and began interments in 1988.-History:...
in Bushnell
Bushnell, Florida
Bushnell is a city in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,050 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 2,119...
, 143 miles from Jacksonville.
The Veterans Administration
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
was authorized to establish six new burial sites by the National Cemetery Act of 2003. Areas not served by an existing National Cemetery and containing at least 170,000 veteran residents included Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
; Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
; Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
; Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 372,057. Its county seat is Sarasota, Florida....
; southeastern Pennsylvania and Columbia-
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
.
Site Status
Initial construction began in August, 2008 and created a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) burial area with temporary facilities. Stage 1A was completed in December, 2008, and the grounds were consecrated January 5, 2009. The second construction stage is scheduled to commence in the summer of 2009 and include an entrance, roadways within the 52 acres (210,436.7 m²) section, permanent buildings for administration and maintenance, a public information center and two shelters for services during inclement weather. Infrastructure consisting of drainage, fencing, landscaping, irrigation and utilities is also being built.The section under development will provide 8,145 gravesites, including 7,300 pre-placed crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
s, 5,100 in-ground cremation sites and 4,992 columbarium
Columbarium
A columbarium is a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns . The term comes from the Latin columba and originally referred to compartmentalized housing for doves and pigeons .The Columbarium of Pomponius Hylas is a particularly fine ancient Roman example, rich in...
niches.
As of early May, 2011, the cemetery contained the remains of over 1,000 veterans, despite being open for 28 months. U.S. Representative Ander Crenshaw
Ander Crenshaw
Ander Crenshaw is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
toured the facility and commented, "I don't think I ever thought this would be as beautiful as it is. It reminds me of Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
- it can't help but give you goose bumps."
Cemetery officials expect the second construction stage to be completed near Memorial Day, 2011. There are also plans to build a new $24 million, two lane road from the existing Pecan Park Road to the cemetery, for direct access from Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
, but no timetable has been set.
Notable interments
- Jack D. HunterJack D. HunterJack D. Hunter was an American author and artist, best known for his novel, The Blue Max, which was made into a film of the same name, The Blue Max.-Biography:...
, author of 17 novels, including his bestseller, The Blue MaxThe Blue MaxThe Blue Max is an 1966 British war film about a German fighter pilot on the Western Front during World War I. It was directed by John Guillermin, stars George Peppard, James Mason and Ursula Andress, and features Karl Michael Vogler and Jeremy Kemp. The screenplay was written by David Pursall,...
(1964), which became a 1966 movie. Hunter served as an Army counterintelligence officer during and after World War II.
- VADM Michael P. Kalleres, During his 32 year military career Adm. Kalleres led the United States Navy Second Fleet during Operation Desert Storm and MSC. Also during his career, the admiral received a number of awards, including twice receiving the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the nation’s highest peacetime defense award, as well as the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. In retirement, he was awarded the University of Florida Distinguished Public Service Award and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
See also
- United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
- United States National CemeteryUnited States National Cemetery"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so...