Burial at Louisiana National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Louisiana National Cemetery

Louisiana National Cemetery is located in East Baton Rouge Parish approximately six miles from Zachary, LA, and less than two miles from Port Hudson National Cemetery. Opened in 2012, it is an expansion of the latter Civil War-era national cemetery, which closed the same year.

More than five nations in the last 300 years have claimed the land occupied by Louisiana National Cemetery. French explorers first set foot East Baton Rough Parish in 1699 and recorded activities of the Bayou Goula and Houma Indian tribes. Several other American tribes — the Choctaw, Chitimacha, Coushatta, and Quapaw — lived there until the U.S. government forcibly removed them, per the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

The French constructed an outpost in 1718 near present-day Baton Rouge to protect northbound traders heading home after selling their goods in New Orleans. At the end of the French and Indian War, the 1763 Treaty of Paris transferred this territory to English ownership. The British Army occupied Baton Rouge during the American Revolution.

Spain declared war on England in 1779. Marching north from New Orleans, Spanish forces captured Baton Rouge and defeated the English at Fort Butte, just west of the city. The Spanish were the third European nation to hold Baton Rouge and the surrounding territory. By 1781, lands from Louisiana to west Florida were under Spanish control. Spain ceded much of its North American holdings to France in 1802; France, in turn, in 1803 sold it to the United States as the Louisiana Purchase. However, the area between southern Louisiana and Florida remained contentious for a few more years. In 1810, local settlers overthrew the Spanish who remained in control, and declared independence as the West Florida Republic. Louisiana annexed the territory a few months later. East Baton Rouge Parish was created during the annexation to Louisiana.

Notable veterans buried at Louisiana National Cemetery

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

• Under Development.

Eligibility for burial at Louisiana 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. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Louisiana National Cemetery sits in the Louisiana cemetery system

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