VA National Cemeteries
Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot burial schedule and eligibility
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · VA national cemetery
Address, hours, directions and contact details: Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot.
You can look up burials at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot on VA's daily burial schedule, which lists the committal services families have agreed to publish. Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged can be buried here, and so can their spouses and some dependent children. To schedule a burial, you or the funeral director call VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. VA lists Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot as closed to new burials, so ask the scheduling office whether an existing family gravesite can be used.
History of Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot
Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh, PA, is among the oldest rural cemeteries in the United States. Forty of the most prominent citizens of the city, merchants, manufacturers, professionals and politicians, chartered the non-profit cemetery on April 24, 1844. The group purchased the first 100 acres for the cemetery for $50,000. Today the cemetery is composed of approximately 300 acres, in which about 120,000 persons are interred.
The soldiers' lot is located in Section 33, lot 66, and consists of 303 individual interments. While most of the burials are Union Civil War soldiers, the lot also includes 15 Confederates and a small number of Spanish-American War veterans.
Soldiers were originally interred in two places within Allegheny Cemetery: the plot donated to the federal government by the cemetery association, and the "stranger's field," also known as the "potter's field," an area for the poor. It is likely that all the remains were consolidated into the soldiers' lot in the 1870's.
Allegheny Cemetery, including the National Cemetery Administration's soldiers' lot, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 1980.
Notable veterans buried at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot
The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, with section and site where it has them.
- Medal of Honor
- The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Recipients receive the Medal of Honor from the President on behalf of Congress. It was first awarded during the Civil War and the eligibility criteria, medal design, and recognition on a recipients' grave marker have all evolved over time. There are 434 Medal of Honor recipients interred at VA national cemeteries including 6 double recipients.
- Medal of Honor recipients interred or memorialized here:
- Corporal John M. Kendig (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company A, 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry, for actions at Spotsylvania, VA, May 12, 1864. His citation was awarded under the name of Kindig. He died in 1869 and is buried in Section 33, Lot 66, Site 32.
Visiting hours at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot
Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Sunday and federal holidays.
Who can be buried at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?
VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.
What does burial here include at no cost?
- A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- A government-provided burial liner
- A government-provided headstone or marker
- Perpetual care of the gravesite
Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.
How do you schedule a burial at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?
- Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
- Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
- You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
VA lists Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot as closed. Ask the scheduling office what, if anything, can still be arranged here, and about open national cemeteries nearby.
Where is the Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot burial schedule?
VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot directly at 724-746-4363.
Headstone, flag and burial allowance
- Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
- Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
- Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits
After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate
A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Pennsylvania law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Pennsylvania and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.
Funeral homes near Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot
A funeral director usually arranges the burial with the cemetery. These are the closest funeral homes by straight-line distance. Each one links to its full listing on FuneralUS, our funeral home directory.
- D'Alessandro Funeral Home & Crematory, Ltd.Pittsburgh, PA0.2 mi from the cemetery
- Zalewski Funeral HomePittsburgh, PA0.2 mi from the cemetery
- Walter J. Zalewski Funeral Homes, Inc.Pittsburgh, PAMilitary honors services0.3 mi from the cemetery
- Richard F. Dodson Memorial HomeWest Newton, PA0.4 mi from the cemetery
- Healy-Hahn Funeral Home Inc.Pittsburgh, PA1.0 mi from the cemetery
- Hahn Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc.Pittsburgh, PA1.0 mi from the cemetery
FAQ
Questions about burial at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot
Is burial at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot free?
Yes, for eligible veterans, spouses and dependent children. VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a burial liner, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care at no cost. The funeral home's services, such as transport and any service before the burial, are arranged and paid for separately.
Can I reserve a gravesite at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot in advance?
No. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision before a death, but VA says the decision letter doesn't name a cemetery or gravesite, because neither can be reserved in advance.
How do I schedule a burial at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?
Fax the veteran's discharge papers to 866-900-6417 or email them to [email protected]. Then you or the funeral director call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET). National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
Where can I see the burial schedule for Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?
On VA's daily burial schedule at https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/dailyburialschedule/. It covers every national cemetery, but it only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them.
Are military funeral honors provided at Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?
Yes, if you ask for them. Your funeral director, a Veterans Service Organization or the cemetery staff can arrange them. At minimum, two uniformed service members fold and present the burial flag at the committal shelter, and Taps is played.
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