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Bath National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Bath, New York · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Bath National Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·4 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Bath National Cemetery 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.

History of Bath National Cemetery

Bath National Cemetery is located in Steuben County, NY, adjacent to the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The cemetery was originally a part of the New York State Soldiers and Sailors Home, which was established in 1877; the cemetery was dedicated in December 25, 1879. In 1930, the Soldiers and Sailors Home and cemetery became two integrated components of the Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). When 82 national cemeteries were transferred from the Department of Army to the Veterans Administration in 1973, the Bath VAMC cemetery became part of the National Cemetery System and was designated appropriately.

Bath is the final resting place of the "first and oldest" U.S. MIAs (Missing in Action). On October 26, 1987, an archeologist discovered a skeleton during the construction of a house in Fort Erie, Canada. Scientists and military historians were subsequently sent to investigate the site and ultimately, they discovered 28 remains. The bones were initially believed to be remains of the area's indigenous population. The discovery of buttons, however, led authorities to believe that the men buried at the site were British soldiers.

The 28 soldiers had been interred in a traditional manner, lying east-west with hand crossed; this indicates that they had been buried during a lull in the fighting by fellow soldiers rather than the enemy. Further investigation by the military indicated that the men had fought during the Niagara Campaign with clashes at Chippaw and Lundy's Lane before they died at Snake Hill, a battery overlooking Fort Erie. The Department of the Army, working with Canadian officials, held a repatriation ceremony at Fort Erie, Canada, on June 30, 1988 and the soldiers were reinterred with full military honors.

Notable veterans buried at Bath National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Bath National Cemetery, 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 George M. Grueb (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company E, 158th New York Infantry, for gallantry at Chapin's Farm, Virginia, September 29, 1864. Grueb died in 1893 and is buried in Section A, Row 2, Site 3.
  • Sergeant John Kiggins (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company D, 149th New York Infantry, for actions at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, November 24, 1863. Kiggins died in 1914 and is buried in Section H, Row 32, Site 9.
  • Private George Ladd (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company H, 22nd New York Cavalry, for actions at Waynesboro, Virginia, March 2, 1865. Ladd died on August 13, 1889 and is buried in Section C, Row 6, Site 6.
  • Sergeant Charles E. Morse (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company I, 62nd New York Infantry, for actions at Wilderness, Virginia, May 5, 1864. He was born in France, and enlisted in June 1861. Morse died in 1920 and is buried in Section J, Row 4, Site 24.
  • Private James Roberts (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Navy for actions on board the U.S.S. Agawam, December 23,1864. Roberts also served in the U.S. Army, Company K, 8th Connecticut Infantry. Private Roberts died in 1908 and is buried in Section I, Row 26, Site 2.

Visiting hours at Bath National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays. VA will continue its practice of honoring special requests for weekend burials for religious purposes, in cases of service members killed in action and on at least one day of any three-day Federal holiday weekend at all open VA national cemeteries.

Who can be buried at Bath National Cemetery?

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 Bath National Cemetery?

  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Bath National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the Bath National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Bath National Cemetery 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 Bath National Cemetery directly at 607-664-4853.

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 New York law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in New York 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 Bath National Cemetery

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.

  1. 0.2 mi from the cemetery
  2. Fagans, Inc.
    Bath, NY
    1.7 mi from the cemetery
  3. 2.0 mi from the cemetery
  4. 5.7 mi from the cemetery
  5. Lamarche Funeral Home
    Hammondsport, NY
    7.6 mi from the cemetery
  6. 10.5 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Bath National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Bath National Cemetery 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 Bath National Cemetery 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 Bath National Cemetery?

    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 Bath National Cemetery?

    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 Bath National Cemetery?

    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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