VA National Cemeteries
Finn's Point National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility
Pennsville, New Jersey · VA national cemetery
Address, hours, directions and contact details: Finn's Point National Cemetery.
You can look up burials at Finn's Point 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 Finn's Point National Cemetery
Finn's Point National Cemetery is located about six miles northwest of Salem, NJ, at the north end of what was Fort Mott Military Reservation. Today, the picturesque cemetery is entirely surrounded by the Killchohook National Wildlife Refuge and is adjacent to Fort Mott State Park. Originally, the United States purchased the land for the construction of the Finn's Point Battery to protect the Port of Philadelphia. By 1863, however, the grounds increasingly served as a burial site for Confederate prisoners of war who died while imprisoned at Fort Delaware.
Fort Delaware was on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River, one mile east of Delaware City. The island was named after a colonial-era tale that a boat loaded with peas ran aground on a river shoal, and the peas sprouted in the sandy loam. In 1847, Congress appropriated $1 million to construct the largest modern coastal defense fort in the nation here, surpassing Fort Sumter in size, to protect the ports of Wilmington, DE, and Philadelphia. In April 1862, Fort Delaware received its first POWs, 358 Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Kernstown, VA. By January 1866 when the prison closed, approximately 22,773 men occupied the fort, including soldiers, officers and other prisoners.
An estimated 2,502 men died while imprisoned at Fort Delaware. Even prior to its designation as a national cemetery, the remains of POWs were transported to Finn's Point across the river for burial. When weather or ice made trips to the mainland hazardous, it was necessary to bury the bodies on Pea Patch Island. On May 12, 1875, Virginia Gov. James L. Kemper wrote to the secretary of war concerning the neglected Confederate graves on Pea Patch Island. In response, Gen. E.D. Townsend advised the governor that Finn's Point would be made a national cemetery and the remains of soldiers, both Union and Confederate, would be reinterred there. Finn's Point was official declared a national cemetery October 3, 1875.
Today, the small cemetery is nearly surrounded by tidal marshes and tall grass that encroach the stone enclosure walls. The Meigs lodge is a particularly elegant construction of stone with contrasting quoins and other architectural details. Finn's Point National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Visiting hours at Finn's Point National Cemetery
Visitation Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Office Hours: This cemetery is administered by Washington Crossing National Cemetery. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Who can be buried at Finn's Point 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 Finn's Point National Cemetery?
- 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 Finn's Point National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
Where is the Finn's Point National Cemetery burial schedule?
VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Finn's Point 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 Finn's Point National Cemetery directly at 215-222-7510.
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 Jersey law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in New Jersey 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 Finn's Point 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.
- Ashcraft Funeral Home (PV)Pennsville, NJ2.6 mi from the cemetery
- Ashcraft Funeral HomesPenns Grove, NJMilitary honors services2.7 mi from the cemetery
- Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & CrematoryNew Castle, DEMilitary honors services3.0 mi from the cemetery
- Laughrey Funeral HomePennsville, NJ3.8 mi from the cemetery
- Gebhart Funeral HomesClaymont, DEMilitary honors services4.0 mi from the cemetery
- Krienen-Griffith Funeral HomeWilmington, DE4.0 mi from the cemetery
FAQ
Questions about burial at Finn's Point National Cemetery
Is burial at Finn's Point 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 Finn's Point 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 Finn's Point 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 Finn's Point 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 Finn's Point 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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