Burial at Fort Douglas Post Cemetery: A family guide

History of Fort Douglas Post Cemetery

On October 26, 1862, Colonel Patrick E. Connor, California Volunteers, established Camp Douglas on a rise in the Wasatch Range foothills a few miles east of the Mormon capital of Salt Lake City in the Utah Territory. It was named in honor of recently deceased Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas. A cemetery site was chosen within the camp and the first committal occurred by the end of the year. The camp's strategic importance was twofold. First, protect important communication and transportation lines against hostile Native Americans during the Civil War. Second, act as a strong federal presence among the predominately Mormon population that had historically shown non-cooperation toward federal authority following the formal establishment of the Utah Territory in 1850.

During the camp's first winter, Colonel Connor launched an offensive against Shoshone leader Bear Hunter and other tribes known to be harassing overland mail and mining operations in northern Utah and southern Idaho. Connor's campaign culminated in the January 29, 1863, massacre at Bear River 140 miles north of Salt Lake City. In this engagement, Connor's troops launched a daybreak attack on an unsuspecting Shoshone encampment, leaving an estimated 250 dead—including women and children. Connor was promoted to brigadier general after the engagement and peace was established with area tribes by fall of that year. Twenty-one of Connor's men died in the attack.

The camp remained an important western outpost for the U.S. military. Successful prospecting for minerals, initiated by Connor, led to an influx on non-Mormon settlers to the territory. The camp was rebuilt between 1874 and 1876 with an "Officers Circle" established northwest of the post cemetery. New construction primarily used the same red sandstone featured prominently in the cemetery's early headstones and monuments. The post was designated Fort Douglas in 1878. The fort became one of the main military installations in the central Rocky Mountains toward the end of the nineteenth century. Most of its garrison was deployed for service in the Spanish-American War. The post continued to expand and became a regimental headquarters in 1902.

During World War I, Fort Douglas served as one of the Army's physical-preparedness camps for recruits. It was also the site of an internment camp for more than 300 German prisoners of war during the conflict. During the years between the two world wars it served as a district headquarters and training camp for the New Deal's Civilian Conservation Corps. The fort continued in its role as an important training and mobilization base during World War II and resumed its role as a POW camp. Following WWII, Fort Douglas served as headquarters for Army Reserve and National Guard Units. The base was officially decommissioned on October 26, 1991.

Notable veterans buried at Fort Douglas Post Cemetery

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

• Patrick Edward Connor was born in 1820, emigrated from Ireland, and settled in New York City. He enlisted in the Army in 1838, serving in the Iowa Territory. Around 1846 he joined the Texas Volunteers at the start of the Mexican-American War and was wounded at Buena Vista. He settled in California after the war and he was sought to join the California Rangers in 1853 to bring Mexican outlaws to justice. He volunteered for Civil War service and was appointed colonel, 3rd California Infantry. His headquarters was at Salt Lake City. He had an acrimonious relationship with Mormons there and fought against native tribes hostile to settlers. He was promoted to brigadier general for the successful attack at Bear River in January 1863, and three years later he was discharged as a brevet major general. He lived in the West for the remainder of his life, dabbling in mining, newspaper publishing, politics, and other business ventures. He died on December 17, 1891 (Section K, Site SEP).
• James Duane Doty served as the fifth governor of the Territory of Utah (1863–1865). Born in 1799, his career included government posts in Michigan and Wisconsin, where he was a delegate to Congress, territorial governor (1841–1844), and state legislator. Originally a Democrat, he became a "Free Soiler" then a Republican. President Abraham Lincoln named him superintendent of Indian affairs for Utah in 1861, then as governor in 1863. Under his management, federal relations with the Mormons improved and he advocated for schools and treaties with Native Americans. He was reappointed by Lincoln but died in office on June 13, 1865. His grave is marked by an 11-foot-tall red sandstone composed of a base, die and obelisk (Section E, Site 14).
• Other Burials During World War I, Fort Douglas was the site of an internment camp for more than 300 German prisoners, and during World War II resumed its role as a POW camp. Treatment of POWs is determined by the laws of war (today set out in the various Hague Conventions from 1899 and 1907, Geneva Conventions of 1949, Additional Protocols of 1977, and customary international law). Fifty-five enemy POWs are buried in the Fort Douglas post cemetery — 21 Germans from WWI and 34 from WWII, including 21 Germans, 12 Italians, and 1 Japanese. In 1933, the remains of the 21 Germans WWI POWs were disinterred from elsewhere in the cemetery and moved to the southwest corner where a POW Monument was erected at the same time (Section L). The WWII POW graves, located in the northeast corner, are marked with government-issued headstones except for that of Paul Eilert (1905–1944). He was the first German prisoner to die at the Fort Douglas POW camp, and fellow prisoners paid for the headstone, which was inscribed with the German WWII Iron Cross and swastika. Fort Douglas Post Cemetery is one of 23 NCA cemeteries containing the graves of more than a thousand world war enemy POWs; it is one of two NCA cemeteries containing German POWs of both world wars, the other is Chattanooga National Cemetery.

Eligibility for burial at Fort Douglas Post 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 sunrise to sunset.

How to schedule a burial at Fort Douglas Post 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 Fort Douglas Post Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Fort Douglas Post Cemetery sits in the Utah cemetery system

Fort Douglas Post Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Utah. The cemetery is currently closed to new in-ground burials but may accept cremated remains in some cases. Families should verify status before planning.

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