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Mobile National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Mobile, Alabama · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Mobile National Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·4 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Mobile National 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 Mobile National Cemetery as closed to new burials, so ask the scheduling office whether an existing family gravesite can be used.

History of Mobile National Cemetery

Mobile National Cemetery was established in 1865 after the Port of Mobile fell into Union hands under the assault of Rear Admiral David Farragut during the Civil War.

Two years after defeating the Confederate fleet at Vicksburg, Farragut was summoned from his New York home to lead an attack on Mobile Bay, the last Confederate stronghold in the Gulf of Mexico. Mobile was not only protected by Fort Morgan and a fleet of wooden vessels, but also by the formidable confederate ship, the Tennessee and a field of explosive mines called torpedoes. Undaunted, Farragut readied his fleet for battle. Using a strategy that had worked before, he ordered his wooden ships lashed together in pairs, one large ship and one small ship. In this manner, if the larger frigate was disabled in battle, the smaller vessel could tow it to safety.

Farragut's fleet of wooden ships, along with four small ironclad monitors, began the attack on Mobile Bay early in the morning of August 5, 1864. When the smoke of battle became so thick that he couldn't see, Farragut climbed the rigging of the Hartford and lashed himself near the top of the mainsail to get a better view. It wasn't long before the Tecumseh, one of the monitors leading the way, was struck by a torpedo and sank. In a state of confusion, the fleet came to a halt in front of the powerful guns of Fort Morgan. Realizing the fleet was reluctant to move forward due to the "infernal machines," Farragut rallied his men to victory, shouting: "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!"

The Union fleet steamed through the minefield, blasted Fort Morgan, and captured the Confederate ironclad Tennessee. Mobile Bay fell into Union hands in one of the most decisive naval victories of the Civil War.

Notable veterans buried at Mobile National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Mobile National Cemetery, with section and site where it has them.

  • 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:
  • Private First Class John Dury New (World War II). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Marine Corps, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, in recognition of gallantry and self-sacrifice on Peleliu Island, Palau Group, September 25, 1944. New is buried in Section 7, Site 2147.
  • Other Burials Chappo, son of Apache Indian Geronimo (Section 1, Site 621-B).
  • Larry (Lanny) Fun, cousin of Geronimo (Section 3, Site 656-C).
  • 841 Civil War dead, which includes 628 Union soldiers, 23 civilian employees of the U S Army, 112 Unknowns, and 78 US Colored Troops representing 10 Infantry regiments from various states.
  • There are also 4 Confederate soldiers interred in the cemetery.

Visiting hours at Mobile National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Barrancas National Cemetery office. Open Memorial Day. Closed all other federal holidays.

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

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

Where is the Mobile National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Mobile National 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 Mobile National Cemetery directly at 850-453-4846.

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 Alabama law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Alabama 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 Mobile National 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. 0.6 mi from the cemetery
  2. 0.6 mi from the cemetery
  3. 0.9 mi from the cemetery
  4. 1.6 mi from the cemetery
  5. 1.6 mi from the cemetery
  6. 2.6 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Mobile National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Mobile National 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 Mobile National 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 Mobile National 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 Mobile National 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 Mobile National 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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