Burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Fort Logan National Cemetery

Fort Logan is located in Denver County near the southwest boundary of the City of Denver. By the 1880s, with the removal of much of the Native American population to reservations, the federal government had begun to close many frontier forts. The rapid growth of the railroad had made it easier for the Army to quickly move troops to where they were needed. The frontier posts that had played such an important role in the development of the West became increasingly obsolete and expensive to maintain. Still, the citizenry of Denver, in relative isolation and apprehensive concerning increased immigration from the East and abroad, petitioned the Army to establish a post near the city. In 1886, Colorado Sen. Henry M. Teller introduced a bill in Congress authorizing construction of the post, and it was signed in February 1887. A little over three acres was set aside in 1889 for a post cemetery. The first recorded burial in the post cemetery was Mable Peterkin, daughter of Private Peterkin, who died on June 28, 1889.

The first soldiers to arrive at the fort were members of the 18th Infantry from Fort Hays and Leavenworth, KS, who immediately set up a temporary barracks and guardhouse while construction began on permanent facilities. The name of the fort, originally known as "the camp near the city of Denver," became Fort Logan in August 1889. General John A. Logan had risen to the rank of Union Army general and commander of volunteer forces during the Civil War. As head of the post-war veteran's organization the Grand Army of the Republic, he issued General Orders No. 11, establishing May 30 as "Decoration Day" to honor the Civil War dead. This later became a national holiday called Memorial Day.

Although 340 acres of land were added to the fort in 1908, by 1909 Fort Logan was reduced to a recruiting depot. This remained its sole function until 1922 when the 38th Infantry was garrisoned at what locals sometimes referred to as "Fort Forgotten." Despite a brief resurgence of activity in the 1930s and early 1940s, Fort Logan closed in May 1946. In 1960, much of the land was deeded to the State of Colorado to establish a state hospital that still operates as the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan. On March 10, 1950, Congress authorized the use of military lands at Fort Logan as a national cemetery, but limited the size to no more than 160 acres. Since that time, the cemetery has expanded from the original 160 acres to 214 acres.

Monuments and Memorials Fort Logan features a memorial pathway lined with a variety of memorials that honor America's veterans from various organizations. There are 17 memorials at Fort Logan National Cemetery—most commemorating soldiers of various 20th-century wars.

Notable veterans buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery

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

• 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:
• Major William E. Adams (Vietnam). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, A/227th Assault Helicopter Company, 52nd Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade, in recognition of his exceptional skill as a pilot and humanitarian regard for his fellow men. During an attempt to evacuate wounded soldiers, his aircraft was damaged by enemy fire and exploded over Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam, May 25, 1971. Adams is buried in Section P, Site 3831.
• First Sergeant Maximo Yabes (Vietnam). Maximo Yabes, native of California, enlisted in the U.S. Army ca.1953 and served with Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, during the Vietnam War. On February 26, 1967, First Sergeant Yabes used his body to shield his fellow soldiers from a grenade blast. Although wounded he single-handedly enacted a defensive attack before dying of his wounds. Yabes received the Medal of Honor posthumously on October 31, 1968, and is buried in Section R, Site 369.
• Other Burials There are several Buffalo Soldiers buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery including the following: William Bash; James Holden; Jeremiah Jones; Leon Jones; Arthur McDonald; John N. Norton; Albert Pemberton; Charles W. Praun; James Yancy.
• David Benjamin Bolen (World War II). Bolen was born in 1923 in Heflin, Louisiana. He excelled in basketball and track, but focused on track during his time at Southern University in Baton Rouge. His college years were interrupted by two years of service in the Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war he transferred to the University of Colorado and excelled in track, becoming the university's first athlete to qualify for the Olympics. He narrowly missed medaling in the 400m at the 1948 London Olympics. He was considered one of the fastest American runners of his time and he broke numerous track and field records. Bolen was also an outstanding student. He graduated from Colorado University with an M.A. in 1950. Inspired by personal observations of American diplomats in Europe during his athletic career, Bolen joined the U.S. Foreign Service after college and was appointed to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia. His next assignment was as economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan. He received an M.A. in public administration from Harvard in 1960 and continued working for the State Department overseas. President Nixon nominated him to serve concurrently as Ambassador to Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland from February 1974 until April 1976. In 1977 he was serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa when President Carter made him Ambassador to the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). Bolen was the first African-American ambassador to a nation behind the Iron Curtain. He transitioned to the private sector in 1981. Among his many awards are the State Department's Superior Service Award.
• Fitzroy Newsum was born in New York in 1918 and spent his childhood in Trinidad where he was fascinated with flight. When Newsum returned to the United States he was denied entrance to the U.S. Army Air Corps because he was black. As a result, in February 1939, he enlisted in the New York National Guard and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He chose to attend the Tuskegee pilot-training program rather than pursue officer candidacy. He graduated in 1943 and First Lieutenant Newsum flew with the 477th Bombardment Group. After 1947, with the Air Force, he rose to the rank of colonel and vice commander of the 381st Strategic Missile Wing. Newsum retired in 1970 and was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame in 1991. He died January 5, 2013, and is buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery (Section 35, Site 501).
• Edward Denetdale Leuppe, a native of New Mexico, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on March 26, 1943. Cpl. Leuppe was a Navajo Code Talker in the Pacific Theater during World War II and remained in service until January 22, 1946. In 2001, the Navajo Code Talkers were presented with the Congressional Silver Medal. Leuppe's honor was posthumous. He died August 24, 1994 (Section T2, Site 137).

Eligibility for burial at Fort Logan 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 sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day.

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

Where Fort Logan National Cemetery sits in the Colorado cemetery system

Fort Logan National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Colorado. 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 Fort Logan National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.