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VA National Cemeteries

Fort Worden Post Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Port Townsend, Washington · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Fort Worden Post Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·2 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Fort Worden Post 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. VA lists Fort Worden Post Cemetery as closed to new burials, so ask the scheduling office whether an existing family gravesite can be used.

History of Fort Worden Post Cemetery

Construction of the Fort Worden military defense installation began in 1896. It was one of three major fortifications protecting Puget Sound. The three, Fort Casey, Fort Flagler, and Fort Worden eventually became known as the triangle of fire, protecting the Puget Sound entrance from feared Spanish American War naval attacks, and any naval attacks from other nations.

Fort Worden was activated in May 1902 and was named for a naval officer, Admiral John Lorimer Worden (1818–1897), captain of the ironclad Civil War vessel USS Monitor.

The first troops arrived in May 1902 and Fort Worden was fully operational in 1905 as the Headquarters of the Puget Sound Harbor Defense Command. On June 2, 1902, one month after post activation, the first death occurred. Private Elisha Webb (1879–1902) of McMinn County, Tennessee died of illness. Private Webb was a soldier in the 126th Coast Artillery and he was buried in the new cemetery.

In 1903 the Secretary of War directed that Fort Worden be the official burial grounds for the three Puget Sound harbor defense forts. Since then, the cemetery has over 430 interments that include service members, spouses and dependents from the Spanish American War to current engagements.

Visiting hours at Fort Worden Post Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Office Hours at Tahoma National Cemetery: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day. NOTE: Cemetery offices are off-site. Tahoma National Cemetery oversees this cemetery.

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

VA lists Fort Worden Post Cemetery as closed. Ask the scheduling office what, if anything, can still be arranged here, and about open national cemeteries nearby.

Where is the Fort Worden Post Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Fort Worden Post 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 Worden Post Cemetery directly at 425-413-9614.

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 Washington law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Washington 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 Worden Post 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. 2.3 mi from the cemetery
  2. 13.3 mi from the cemetery
  3. Wallin-Stucky Funeral Home - Freeland
    Freeland, WAMilitary honors services
    13.4 mi from the cemetery
  4. 14.1 mi from the cemetery
  5. 14.3 mi from the cemetery
  6. 14.7 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Fort Worden Post Cemetery

  • Is burial at Fort Worden Post 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 Worden Post 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 Worden Post 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 Worden Post 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 Worden Post 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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