America 250: VA honors 49 Revolutionary War Veterans at 16 cemeteries across the country
Bath National Cemetery in Bath, New York, is one of 157 national cemeteries operated by the National Cemetery Administration. (VA)
To mark the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the delegate’s signing of the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776, the Department of Veterans Affairs held ceremonies at 16 cemeteries across the country to honor 49 Veterans of the Revolutionary War.
What they're saying:
"Service, sacrifice and patriotism are qualities displayed by our Veterans going back to the very founding of our nation. "Two hundred and fifty years later, we remain inspired by those who first took up arms in defense of liberty, and who, like the signers of the Declaration of Independence, risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to establish the United States of America," said VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown in a release.
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Big picture view:
The ceremonies were held at VA national cemeteries or VA-administered soldiers' lots in private cemeteries, as part of the VA’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Revolutionary War Veterans honored at Congressional Cemetery Government Lots, District of Columbia
- U.S. Army, MAJ Joseph I. Anderson
- U.S. Army, COL Theodorick Bland
- U.S. Army, MAJ GEN Thomas Blount
- U.S. Army, COL Nathan Bryan
- U.S. Navy, CAPT Hugh G. Campbell
- U.S. Army, BRIG GEN Levi Casey
- U.S. Army, CAPT James Gillespie
- U.S. Army, COL Peterson Goodwyn
- U.S. Army, COL Thomas Hartley
- U.S. Army, BRIG GEN Daniel Hiester
- U.S. Army, CHAPLAIN Andrew Hunter
- U.S. Army, MAJ GEN James Jackson
- U.S. Army, SGT John Linn
- U.S. Army, COL James Morrison
- U.S. Army, SGT John Smilie
- U.S. Army, MAJ GEN Uriah Tracy
- U.S. Army, SURG Thomas T. Tucker
- U.S. Army, PVT David Walker
Revolutionary War Veterans honored at Florida National Cemetery, Florida
- U.S. Army, PVT Benjamin Latimer
- U.S. Army, SGT Benjamin Shirley
Revolutionary War Veterans honored at Marietta National Cemetery, Georgia
- U.S. Army, PVT George Bradford
- U.S. Army, MAJ GEN John Clark
- U.S. Army, PVT John Hames, Sr.
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Crown Hill National Cemetery, Indiana
- U.S. Army, SGT John Morrow
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Baton Rouge National Cemetery, Louisiana
- U.S. Army, GEN Philemon Thomas
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Great Lakes National Cemetery, Michigan
- U.S. Army, PVT Joseph Van Etten
Revolutionary War Veterans honored at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri
- U.S. Army, MAJ Russell Bissell
- U.S. Army, COL Richard Gentry
- U.S. Army, COL Thomas Hunt
- U.S. Army, PVT Samuel Kennerly
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Springfield National Cemetery, Missouri
- U.S. Army, PVT William Freeman
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey
- U.S. Army, CAPT Caleb Bruen
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Bath National Cemetery, New York
- U.S. Army, DRUMMER Timothy Lockwood, Jr.
Revolutionary War Veterans honored at Gerald B H Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, New York
- U.S. Army, LT COL Aaron M. Austin
- U.S. Army, PVT Samuel Austin
- U.S. Army, PVT Jesse B. Barker, Sr.
- U.S. Army, PVT Oliver Barrett
- U.S. Army, PVT Robert Callaghan
- U.S. Army, PVT Serajah Comstock
- U.S. Army, PVT Ezra Covell
- U.S. Army, PVT Thomas Keeler
- U.S. Army, 2ND LT Ichabod Prentice
- U.S. Army, PVT Ebenezer Sinkler
- U.S. Army, PVT Jonathan Smith
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Pennsylvania
- U.S. Army, PVT Peter Krumbine
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Mountain Home National Cemetery, Tennessee
- U.S. Army, CAPT Samuel Brashears
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Fort Bliss National Cemetery, Texas
- U.S. Army, PVT Johann M. Ehler
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at West Virginia National Cemetery, West Virginia
- U.S. Army, CAPT Philip Pindall
Revolutionary War Veteran honored at Fort Winnebago Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot, Wisconsin
- U.S. Army, PVT Alexander Porter
By the numbers:
The NCA operates 157 national cemeteries and 35 soldiers' lots and monument sites in 44 states and Puerto Rico. To date, more than 4 million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict, are buried in VA's national cemeteries.
The VA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA) provides burial and memorial benefits to eligible Veterans, their spouses, and their dependents — at no cost to the family.
The Source: This article includes information from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Cemetery Administration. This story was reported from Orlando.