Burial at Sitka National Cemetery: A family guide

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 documents the following veterans of note buried at Sitka 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:
• 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.

Eligibility for burial at Sitka 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 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.

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

Where Sitka National Cemetery sits in the Alaska cemetery system

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