Burial at Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery

Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery is New York State's sixth national veteran's cemetery and the 116th in the National Cemetery Administration.

More than 1.4 million veterans live in New York and more than 225,000 reside in the Albany/Saratoga area. The first phase of construction, encompassing 60 acres of the 351-acre cemetery, included 5,000 gravesites, 2,000 lawn crypts, 1,500 columbaria niches and 700 garden niches for cremated remains. At full capacity, Solomon-Saratoga can provide burial space for 175,500 veterans and eligible dependents.

On January 24, 2002, President George W. Bush signed legislation renaming Saratoga National Cemetery as the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. Congressman Solomon was known as the champion of veterans' causes. Among his accomplishments, he spearheaded the effort to create the cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs and successfully led a drive to establish the national cemetery in which he is now interred.

Monuments and Memorials The ship's bell from the USS Saratoga, CV-3, was installed as a memorial at the cemetery in 1999. The USS Saratoga was launched in 1925 and spent 20 years at sea, including action during World War II. It was taken out of service and destroyed in 1946. New York Congressman Dean P. Taylor requested the bell in 1946. It was first displayed at Saratoga Spring's Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Memorial Home, dedicated on Veteran's Day in 1949. The bell was later restored and permanently mounted at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery.

Notable veterans buried at Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga 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:
• Sergeant Thomas A. Baker (World War II). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, Company A, 105th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division, in recognition of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life at Saipan, Mariana Islands, June 19–July 7, 1944. Baker died July 7, 1944, and is buried in Section 8, Site 530.
• Technical Sergeant Peter J. Dalessandro (World War II). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company E, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, for actions at Kalterherberg, Germany, December 22, 1944. Dalessandro died in 1997 and is buried in Section G12, Site 1.
• Specialist Fourth Class Raymond R. Wright (Vietnam). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, for actions in Ap Bac Zone, Republic of Vietnam, May 2, 1967. Wright died in 1999 and is buried in Section 7, Site 1035.
• Other Burials U.S. Representative Gerald Brooks Hunt Solomon, interred October 31, 2001 (Section 20, Site 7). Cemetery renamed in his honor.

Eligibility for burial at Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga 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 dawn to dusk. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays. 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.

How to schedule a burial at Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga 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 Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery sits in the New York cemetery system

Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in New York. 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 Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.