Fort Richardson National Cemetery

Historic veterans cemetery in Anchorage, Alaska

61°16′32″N 149°39′35″W / 61.27556°N 149.65972°W / 61.27556; -149.65972, Elevation: 367 feet (112 m)TypeUnited States National CemeteryOwned byUnited States ArmySize39 acres (16 ha)^[1]No. of graves>8,000 (2021)WebsiteOfficialFind a GraveFort Richardson National Cemetery

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Coordinates61°16′32″N 149°39′35″W / 61.27556°N 149.65972°W / 61.27556; -149.65972NRHP reference No.12000056^[2]Added to NRHPMarch 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 2020, it had more than 8,000 interments. For much of the year, the gravesites are inaccessible due to snowfall.

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. Some remained at 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.^[1]
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.^[1]

Notable interments

Kermit Roosevelt (1889–1943), son of President Theodore Roosevelt and Army Major during World War II.^[1]
James Leroy Bondsteel (1947–1987), Medal of Honor recipient for action in the Vietnam War.
Robert O. Bowen (1920–2003), novelist and essayist. Navy Veteran during WWII.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Fort Richardson National Cemetery – National Cemetery Administration". www.cem.va.gov. National Cemetery Administration. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
^ "Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 3/05/12 through 3/09/12". National Park Service. March 16, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fort Richardson National Cemetery.

Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) No. AK-2, "Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Davis Highway, Fort Richardson, Anchorage, AK", 28 photos, 3 photo caption pages
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fort Richardson National Cemetery
Fort Richardson National Cemetery at Find a Grave