Burial at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

Jefferson Barracks, one of the National Cemetery Administrations oldest interment sites, has served as a burial place for soldiers from all wars. The original military post was built south of St. Louis, MO, on the banks of the Mississippi River to replace Fort Bellefontaine. Selected for its strategic geographic location, the post was opened in 1826. Jefferson Barracks became the army's first permanent base west of the Mississippi River. By the 1840s, it was the largest military establishment in the United States. During the Civil War, Jefferson Barracks served as a training post for the Union Army. There was also a hospital at the post for the Union army's sick and wounded.

Although Jefferson Barracks was formally established as a national cemetery in 1866 by passage of a joint resolution, the first burial, at what is now Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is believed to have occurred the year after the post's founding, on August 5, 1827. On that date, Elizabeth Ann Lash, the infant daughter of an officer stationed at Jefferson Barracks, was interred at the post cemetery. The Civil War initiated the beginnings of a formal network of military cemeteries. The first general U.S. cemetery legislation was an omnibus bill enacted July 17, 1862, authorizing President Lincoln "to purchase cemetery grounds, and cause them to be securely enclosed, to be used as a national cemetery for the soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country." By the end of the year, the first 14 national cemeteries were created. Jefferson Barracks was formally established as a national cemetery in 1866 by passage of a joint resolution authorizing the Secretary of War to take action to preserve graves from desecration and "secure suitable burial-places in which they may be properly interred..."

The original portion of the cemetery is located in the northeastern section of the present acreage, appropriately delineated by four roads designated as Old Post Drive—East, West, North and South, respectively—containing Sections 1-4, and OPS-1, OPS-2, and OPS-3. It was set aside for the burial of military and civilian personnel who died at the garrison. In 1869 the cemetery experienced enormous growth when more than 10,200 recovered remains of soldiers originally buried at other Missouri locations including Cape Girardeau, Pilot Knob, Warsaw, and Rolla were removed here. About 470 victims of smallpox at Arsenal Island were also reinterred here.

The old cemetery contains approximately 20,000 gravesites, including more than 1,000 Confederate dead. During this era, Union dead were interred in sections by state, as far as that could be determined, including: 7,536 Whites, 1,067 African Americans, 1,010 Confederate POWs, and 556 "not of military service." Within the original cemetery tract, Sections 5 through 53 were laid out; the sections currently numbered 54-66, and 88, contain older burials but are irregularly numbered because the ponds, sink holes and administrative open space was converted to burial areas.

Notable veterans buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at Jefferson Barracks 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 Ralph Cheli (World War II). He received the Medal of Honor for service in the U.S. Army Air Corps, 405th Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bombardment Group, 5th Air Force, in recognition of actions as squadron leader during an air attack on the Dagua Airdrome. Major Cheli's plane was struck, but he completed the mission and instructed his wingman to lead the formation as he crashed into the sea near Wewak, New Guinea, August 18, 1943. Initially believed to have been killed, his award was presented in October. Major Cheli actually died March 6, 1944, as a prisoner of war. His remains were buried on March 21, 1950, as part of a group in Section 78, Sites 930-934.
• Private George Hobday (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company A, 7th U.S. Cavalry, for actions at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota, December 29, 1890. Hobday died in 1891 and is buried in Section 59, Site 11649.
• First Lieutenant Lorenzo D. Immell (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company F, 2nd U.S. Artillery, for actions at Wilson's Creek, Missouri, August 10, 1861. Immell died in 1912 and is buried in Section 4, Site 12342.
• First Lieutenant Donald D. Pucket (World War II). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army Air Corps, 343d Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, in recognition of actions after his aircraft was damaged over Ploesti, Romania, July 9, 1944. Pucket ordered his crew to abandon ship, but he remained on board when three of his men were unable to parachute out and tried to regain control of the plane as it crashed. His remains were buried on October 31, 1950, as part of a group in Section 84, Sites 270-272, on October 31, 1950.
• Sergeant David Ryan (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company G, 5th U.S. Infantry, for actions at Cedar Creek and elsewhere in the Montana Territory, from October 21, 1876, to January 8, 1877. Ryan died in 1896 and is buried in Section Section 59, Site 11715.
• First Lieutenant Martin Schubert (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company E, 26th New York Infantry, for actions at Fredericksburg, VA, December 13, 1862. Schubert died in 1912 and is buried in Section 4, Site 12310.

Eligibility for burial at Jefferson Barracks 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 on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's 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.

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

Where Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery sits in the Missouri cemetery system

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