Burial at Corinth National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Corinth National Cemetery

Corinth National Cemetery is located in Alcorn County, within the city limits of Corinth, MS. In 1854, the citizens of Tishomingo County, MS, invited both the Mobile & Ohio and the Memphis & Charleston rail companies to build track through their jurisdiction. The companies quickly accepted the offer and within a year the surveys were complete. The proposed routes for the new lines crossed at a right angle on a section of property owned by William Lasley. Lasley sold the land and a town quickly grew up around the pending railroad intersection. Originally, the town was pragmatically called Cross City, but the local newspaper editor decided it did not fit the growing community. The name was changed to Corinth with the stipulation that the citizens could change it back in a year should they not like it. The name stuck.

Corinth flourished throughout the remainder of the1850s until the election of Abraham Lincoln, Mississippi's secession and the beginning of the Civil War. Many Tishomingo County men served in the Confederacy and as early as 1861 Corinth served as an assembly point for Confederate soldiers traveling by rail to various points in Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Virginia. In spring 1862, Corinth became the focal point in the Civil War's Western Theatre, as both northern and southern leaders recognized the necessity of holding the city because of its valuable rail crossings. Corinth was also in proximity to ports on the Tennessee River, including Hamburg, Eastport and Pittsburg Landing. Whoever controlled Corinth held an important logistical key to the entire lower Mississippi Valley.

The fall of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in Tennessee, in February 1862 initiated a series of events that led to Union and Confederate advances on Corinth. The Confederates, under the leadership of General Albert Sidney Johnston, saw their trans-Appalachian defense line broken with the capture of these forts by General Ulysses S. Grant. Subsequently, Corinth became the new anchor for a Confederate defense of the lower South.

In early April 1862, federal troops led by Grant camped at Pittsburg Landing, TN, 22 miles northeast of Corinth. The Confederate Army made a surprise attack upon the federal encampment, and although they had an initial measure of success, on the second day Grant received reinforcements and the Confederates fell back toward Corinth.

Notable veterans buried at Corinth National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at Corinth National Cemetery, listed by section and site as recorded in the cemetery's official register.

• Julius "Junior" Ellis McKinney was born in Alabama in 1927 and he enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 21. Corporal McKinney was deployed to Korea with the Heavy Mortar Division, 7th Infantry. He was listed as missing in action after a December 2, 1950, battle at the Chosin Reservoir. McKinney was posthumously promoted to sergeant and awarded the Purple Heart among other commendations. In March 2018, Sgt. McKinney's remains were identified using DNA by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. He was reburied in Corinth National Cemetery on June 8, 2018. A rosette placed by his name on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, indicates he now rests in a marked grave (Section B, Site 723).

Eligibility for burial at Corinth National Cemetery

Planning ahead for a Veteran's or loved-one's final resting place can eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce stress on a family at a difficult time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers the grave plot, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, and a U.S. burial flag at no cost to eligible families.

Visiting hours

Visitation Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day. 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.

How to schedule a burial at Corinth National Cemetery

1. The funeral home or family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (24/7 for active funeral arrangements).
2. Provide the veteran's full name, date of birth, social security number, dates of service, branch, and date of death.
3. Fax or email the DD-214 to the cemetery's interment office for verification.
4. Once eligibility is confirmed (typically 30–60 minutes for complete documentation), the cemetery assigns a date, time, and committal shelter.
5. The funeral home transports the deceased to Corinth National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Corinth National Cemetery sits in the Mississippi cemetery system

Corinth National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Mississippi. The cemetery is currently accepting new in-ground and columbarium interments. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If Corinth National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.