United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery

United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery, in Washington, D.C., is located next to the U.S. Soldiers' and Airmen's Home. It is one of only two national cemeteries administered by the Department of the Army, the other being Arlington National Cemetery. The national cemetery is adjacent to the historic Rock Creek Cemetery and to the Soldiers' Home.

United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery
US S&A Home National Cemetery
Snow-covered headstones at the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery in February 2006
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Details
EstablishedJuly 1861 (July 1861)
Location
21 Harewood Rd NW, Washington, D.C. 20011
CountryUnited States
Coordinates38°56′40″N 77°00′32″W / 38.94444°N 77.00889°W / 38.94444; -77.00889
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TypeUnited States National Cemetery
Owned byU.S. Department of the Army
Find a GraveUnited States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery
The Political GraveyardUnited States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery
Footnotes[1][2][3][4]

Background

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Immediately after the Battle of Bull Run, the Commissioners of the United States Military Asylum offered six acres of land at the north end of their grounds as a burial ground for soldiers and officers,[2] which was sold to them by George Washington Riggs when the asylum was established.[5]

The only people presently eligible for burial at the cemetery are residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home.[2]

Notable interments

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The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 14,000 veterans, starting with those that fought in the Civil War.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Library of Congress. Soldiers' Home National Cemetery (U.S.). LC Name Authority File (LCNAF). Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d National Park Service. United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery Washington, D.C. Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary: Civil War Era National Cemeteries: Honoring Those Who Served. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "National Cemetery Administration: Cemeteries". www.cem.va.gov. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  4. ^ "Soldiers' Home National Cemetery 1864". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  5. ^ "Establishment of the 'Military Asylum". President Lincoln's Cottage. March 10, 2013.
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