Burial at Jacksonville National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Jacksonville National Cemetery

In 1997, St. Augustine National Cemetery closed to new interments, except for second burials of dependents. As a result, there was no local burial option for veterans in northern Florida. In response, the National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2003 authorized the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish six new national cemeteries in areas with at least 170,000 residents not currently served by burial locations for veterans. Jacksonville was one of the areas selected.

NCA acquired the site of Jacksonville National Cemetery in 2008. At the time, the property was owned by the city, and leased for ranching. Jacksonville National Cemetery was formally dedicated later that year, and opened for burials in 2009. Jacksonville National Cemetery is the seventh national cemetery in Florida and the 128th in the national cemetery system.

The City of Jacksonville was founded in 1821 on the St. Johns River, in northern Florida. The city was named after General Andrew Jackson, hero of the War of 1812, military governor of the Florida Territory, and future president of the United States (1829–1837).

Agriculture dominated the Florida Territory's early economy. During the Second Seminole War (1835–1842), military operations disrupted trade between Jacksonville and settlements in the interior of the territory, but the city itself was not the scene of fighting. A few years after the end of the war in 1845, Florida became a state.

Notable veterans buried at Jacksonville National Cemetery

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

• Jack D. Hunter, Sr. was an author and artist, best known for his World War I aviation novel, The Blue Max, which was later turned into a film of the same name. He went on to write 16 more novels, many of them best-sellers. Mr. Hunter served in World War II first as an infantryman, but was later transferred to counter intelligence. After the war, he was sent to Germany where he played an instrumental role in "Operation Nursery," which resulted in the arrest of 2,000 Nazi seditionists. (Section 3 , Site 226)

Eligibility for burial at Jacksonville 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. Open Memorial Day from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 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 Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Jacksonville National Cemetery sits in the Florida cemetery system

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