Santa Fe National Cemetery

Santa Fe National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of Santa Fe, in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. It encompasses 78.6 acres, and as of the end of 2005, had 39,695 interments. It is one of only two National Cemeteries in New Mexico.

History

Though New Mexico only played a small part in the American Civil War, the cemetery was created after the war to inter the Union soldiers who died fighting there, primarily at the Battle of Glorieta Pass. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe donated the land to the federal government in 1870. In 1876 its status was changed to a post cemetery, but in 1885 it became a National Cemetery once again.

Notable monuments

*A memorial made of granite and bronze dedicated to World War II Glider Pilots, erected in 1994.
*A memorial to "Women Who Served in the Navy" erected in 1995.
*The China-Burma-India Veterans Memorial, dedicated to World War II veterans, erected in 2002.

Notable interments

*Governor Charles Bent, first American governor of New Mexico Territory.
*First Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Tarawa during World War II.
*Watertender Edward A. Clary, Medal of Honor recipient for peace time service on board USS "Hopkins"
*Lieutenant Colonel José Francisco Chaves, Union Army officer during the American Civil War, U.S. Representative from the New Mexico Territory, assassinated.
*Private Edwin L. Elwood, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Arizona Territory during the Indian Wars.
*Specialist Fourth Class Daniel D. Fernandez, Medal of Honor recipient for action during the Vietnam War.
*Corporal Jacob Guenther, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Arizona Territory during the Indian Wars.
*Major General Patrick J. Hurley, World War I and World War II veteran, U.S. Ambassador to China from (1944-45), and Secretary of War for President Herbert Hoover.
*Oliver La Farge, 1930 Pulitzer Prize winning author of the novel "Laughing Boy".
*Second Lieutenant Raymond G. Murphy USMC [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_G._Murphy] , Medal of Honor recipient for action in Korea on 3 February 1953.
*Yuma Indian and Army Scout Sergeant Y. B. Rowdy, Medal of Honor recipient for action in Arizona Territory during the Indian Wars.
*Captain Robert S. Scott, Medal of Honor recipient for action in World War II.
*John Bristol Speer, attorney, judge, politician, and writer, interred on 8 July 2008.
* Master Sergeant Roy Tackett WWII Marine credited with the introduction of Sci-Fi to Japan and co-founder of Bubonicon
*Private First Class Jose F. Valdez, Medal of Honor recipient for action during World War II.

See also

*United States Department of Veterans Affairs
*United States National Cemetery

External links

* [http://www.cem.va.gov/ National Cemetery Administration]
* [http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/santafe.asp Santa Fe National Cemetery]