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VA National Cemeteries

Nashville National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Madison, Tennessee · VA national cemetery

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

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

You can look up burials at Nashville 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.

History of Nashville National Cemetery

Nashville National Cemetery is located in Madison, TN, in Davidson County approximately six miles northeast of Nashville's city center. The tracks of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad bisect the cemetery. An easement for the right of way was granted to the railroad in perpetuity in 1912.

Most of the land for Nashville National Cemetery was acquired shortly after the Civil War. In July 1866, 45 acres were transferred to the United States from Morton B. Howell, master of the Chancery Court of Nashville, in accordance with the decree of the court. During the first few months of 1867, another 17 acres were conveyed in the same manner. The final portion, about 1-1/2 acres, was purchased by the United States in 1879 from J. Watts Judson.

The original interments were the remains of soldiers removed from temporary burial grounds around Nashville's general hospitals, as well as the Civil War battlefields at Franklin and Gallatin, TN, and Bowling Green and Cave City, KY. There are 4,141 unknowns interred at Nashville National Cemetery; Roll of Honor, No. 22.

The stone wall around the cemetery and the limestone archway at the entrance were both constructed in 1870. At one time, rumors held that the remains of three Union soldiers were entombed at the top of the archway, but there is no evidence to support this claim. The present lodge, the third constructed at the cemetery, was built near the site of the original lodge and was completed in 1931.

Notable veterans buried at Nashville National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Nashville 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:
  • Corporal John Carr (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company G, 8th U.S. Cavalry, for actions in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory, October 29, 1869. Carr died in 1891 and is buried in Section KK, Site 16550.
  • Private Charles P. Cantrell (Spanish-American War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company F, 10th U.S. Infantry, for actions at Santiago, Cuba, July 1, 1898. Cantrell died in 1948 and is buried in Section 1, Site 132.
  • Corporal William Franklin Lyell (Korea). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, in recognition of gallantry and self-sacrifice near Chup'a-ri, Korea, August 31, 1951. Lyell is buried in Section 1, Site 151.
  • Other Burials Staff Sergeant Barry A. Sadler, (Vietnam), U.S. Army, he wrote the famous song, "The Ballad of the Green Beret," (Section NN, Site 64).
  • One of the oldest private markers in the cemetery is a spire located in Section M, Site 16234, which was dedicated in memory of James Leonard of the 1st Kansas Battery. He was killed by guerrillas on January 23, 1864 and interred on January 27, 1864.

Visiting hours at Nashville National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day.

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

Where is the Nashville National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Nashville 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 Nashville National Cemetery directly at 615-860-0086.

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 Tennessee law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Tennessee 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 Nashville 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. 0.4 mi from the cemetery
  2. Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery
    Nashville, TNMilitary honors services
    1.6 mi from the cemetery
  3. 1.8 mi from the cemetery
  4. 1.9 mi from the cemetery
  5. 2.9 mi from the cemetery
  6. 3.6 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Nashville National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Nashville 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 Nashville 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 Nashville 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 Nashville 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 Nashville 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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