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Fort McPherson National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Maxwell, Nebraska · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Fort McPherson National Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·5 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson National Cemetery

Built in 1863, Fort McPherson was established to ensure peace along the western frontier between the immigrants traveling along the Oregon Trail and the Native American inhabitants. The troops originally stationed at the post provided military protection from hostile Native Americans during the construction of the railroad.

To meet the burial needs of the soldiers stationed at the post, a cemetery was established early in its history. The old post burial ground was later moved to southwest of the post and some 50 remains were moved to this location.

Establishment of the 20-acre Fort McPherson National Cemetery in 1873 afforded the space to relocate remains from the cemeteries abandoned when the number of settlers decreased. Burial records testify that life on the frontier was full of hardships and dangers similar to battlefield camps during times of war.

The cemetery lodge was built in 1876 and rehabilitated in 1951 and 2000. About one mile southeast of the cemetery a monument marks the site of the flagstaff of the old military post. Another monument marks the route used by the Pony Express over the Oregon Trail, which passes through the cemetery.

Notable veterans buried at Fort McPherson National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Fort McPherson 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:
  • Private First Class James W. Fous (Vietnam). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, Company E, 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, in recognition of gallantry and self-sacrifice in Kien Hoa Province, Republic of Vietnam, May 14, 1968. Fous is buried in Section G, Site 685.
  • Sergeant George Jordan (Indian Wars). George Jordan, born about 1850 in Tennessee, enlisted in the U.S. Army in Nashville in 1866. Illiterate at the time, he learned to read and write while in service. Private Jordan transferred to the 9th Cavalry in 1870 and, posted to the Indian Territories, he fought hostile Apache and Sioux tribes. He was promoted to corporal in 1874. In 1890 Sergeant Jordan received the Medal of Honor for holding ground against greater numbers of the enemy in 1880 and 1881. He was the first African American so recognized in two decades. After retiring in April 1897 Jordan remained in Nebraska and, as a landowner, lobbied for the right to vote. In fall 1904 he sought medical attention at the Fort Robinson hospital, but was denied admission; he died that October. Jordan was buried at Fort Robinson and in 1947 his remains were transferred to Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Section F, Site 1131.
  • Private Daniel H. Miller (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company F, 3rd U.S. Cavalry, for actions in the Whetstone Mountains, Arizona Territory, May 5, 1871. Miller died in 1874 and is buried in Section A, Site 380.
  • Sergeant Emanuel Stance (Indian Wars). Emanuel Stance was born in Louisiana in 1848 and he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1866. Stance joined Troop F, 9th Cavalry, and spent most of his career on active frontier duty in the Southwest. Sergeant Stance received the Medal of Honor in May 1870 for unquestioned courage. However, he had a volatile personality and drove his men hard. Stance was demoted to private and restored to rank several times. In 1885 Troop F was posted at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. There, Stance was murdered on Christmas Day 1887, likely by his own men. In 1947, his remains were transferred from Fort Robinson to Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Section F, Site 1040.
  • Other Burials Born of Oglala-Lakota Indian and French decent, Baptiste "Little Bat" Garnier was a scout for the U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. His reputation grew as he tracked in what many believed to be impossible conditions. His skill earned him the nickname "Chief of Fort Robinson Scouts." Garnier was shot and killed by a saloon keeper on December 16, 1900. In 1947, Garnier's remains were disinterred from Fort Robinson, Nebraska, and buried in Fort McPherson National Cemetery (Section S, Site 5900).

Visiting hours at Fort McPherson National Cemetery

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

Who can be buried at Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the Fort McPherson National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson National Cemetery directly at 308-582-4433.

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 Nebraska law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Nebraska 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 Fort McPherson 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. 14.5 mi from the cemetery
  2. 14.8 mi from the cemetery
  3. 15.3 mi from the cemetery
  4. 18.3 mi from the cemetery
  5. 20.2 mi from the cemetery
  6. 27.2 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Fort McPherson National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson 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 Fort McPherson 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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