VA National Cemeteries
Sitka National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility
Sitka, Alaska · VA national cemetery
Address, hours, directions and contact details: Sitka National Cemetery.
You can look up burials at Sitka 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 Sitka National Cemetery
The remote Sitka National Cemetery is located half a mile east of the center of town and is dominated by the natural beauty of the mountains and waters of Sitka Bay. The only access to Sitka is by air, marine highway or weekly ferry from Seattle, WA.
The Kiksadi Clan of the Tlingit Indians had lived in and around Sitka for centuries before the Russians or Americans set foot on the island's rocky shore. Choosing the seaward side of the island they named Shee, the Tlingits called their settlement Shee Atika, meaning "people on the outside of Shee." The name Sitka is a contraction of the term.
The Tlingits thrived undisturbed until 1799 when the Russians arrived. It wasn't long after the Russians first discovered the region that Alexander Baron, manager of the Russian-American Co., established a fort a few miles north of present-day Sitka. The Tlingits grew suspicious, understanding that submission to the Russians meant allegiance to the Czar and providing slave labor to the fur trade company. These suspicions turned violent in 1802 when the Tlingits finally attacked the outpost and killed nearly all the Russians and their Aleut slaves.
Two years later Baranof retaliated. For six days, the Tlingits fought gallantly, but they were out-gunned and exited silently into the night. The Russians renamed the settlement New Archangel. Russian Orthodox clergy soon took up residency and fortress-like structures systematically replaced Tlingit American clan houses.
Notable veterans buried at Sitka National Cemetery
The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Sitka 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:
- Colonel Archie Van Winkle (Korea). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, for actions in the vicinity of Sudong, Korea, November 2, 1950. Van Winkle died in 1986 and is memorialized in Section Q, Site 10.
- Other Burials James Green Brady, Governor of the Territory of Alaska from 1897 to 1906. He came to Sitka as a Presbyterian minister, but later became commissioner and ex-officio registrar of the Land Office in 1884. He was interred in Section R, Plot 4 in December 1918. The monument at his grave bears the inscription: "A life ruled by faith in God and Man."
- Charles W. Paddock (1900–1943) was born in Texas, but Pasadena, CA, was home for most of his life. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1922 and ran through existing school and world record times for short-distance races. He held records in the 100-meter and 200-meter, and 100-yard and 220-yard events through the 1920s, and in 1921 Paddock earned the nickname, "World's Fastest Human." He represented the United States in three Olympics, 1920, 1924, 1928, medaling in the first two and retiring in 1929. Off the track he was a noted journalist and U.S. Army veteran of World War I. In 1942, Paddock was commissioned as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and as an aide to Major General William Upshur in World War II. Both were killed in a plane crash near Sitka, AK, on July 23. Paddock is buried in Section Q, Site 7.
Visiting hours at Sitka National Cemetery
Visitation Hours: Open Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Weekends and holidays: Open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Winter: Open from dawn to dusk. 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. NCA will assess adding other options and national cemeteries in the future.
Who can be buried at Sitka 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 Sitka National Cemetery?
- 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).
- 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.
- You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Sitka National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
Where is the Sitka National Cemetery burial schedule?
VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Sitka 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 Sitka National Cemetery directly at 907-384-7075.
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 Alaska law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Alaska 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 Sitka 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.
- Alaskan Memorial Park & MortuaryJuneau, AK96.1 mi from the cemetery
- 103.9 mi from the cemetery
FAQ
Questions about burial at Sitka National Cemetery
Is burial at Sitka 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 Sitka 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 Sitka 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 Sitka 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 Sitka 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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