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Springfield National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Springfield, Missouri · VA national cemetery

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

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

You can look up burials at Springfield 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 Springfield National Cemetery

Springfield National Cemetery is located on what was once the Kickapoo Prairie in Green County, MO.

Settlers began arriving in southwest Missouri in 1822, making their way north up the James River and its tributaries. But it was only after removal of the Kickapoo and Delaware Indians in 1830 that permanent settlement became possible. John Polk Campbell is credited as the founder of Springfield. He arrived with his brother Madison in 1829, and upon finding a viable water supply carved his initials on an ash tree to establish his claim. Other settlers arrived almost daily and it was not long before a settlement developed, complete with stores, mills, a school and post office. By 1838 the town had been officially incorporated.

In 1861, Springfield was the site of the Missouri State Convention to determine its future as part of the Union. The governor favored secession. Delegates urged approval of the Crittendon Resolutions (then before Congress), which would have legalized slavery where it already existed, and would let new states decide their own rights and would reimburse slave owners for losses caused by abolitionist raids. Delegates ultimately decided against secession and opposed any military action by either side; but if the federal government declared war on the South, they would join the Confederate ranks.

The Battle of Wilson Creek, the first major Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River, was fought in Springfield on August 10, 1861, and involved about 5,400 Union troops and 12,000 Confederates. Although the battle was a Confederate victory, the South failed to capitalize on its success; it led to greater federal military activity in Missouri and set the stage for the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862.

Notable veterans buried at Springfield National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Springfield 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:
  • Sergeant Harrison Collins (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company A, 1st Tennessee Cavalry, for actions at Richland Creek, TN, December 24, 1864. Collins died in 1890 and is buried in Section 26, Site 1357B.
  • Captain Patrick Pentzer (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company C, 97th Illinois Infantry, for actions at Blakely, AL, April 9, 1865. Pentzer died in 1901 and is buried in Section 24, Site 1696.
  • Corporal Orion P. Howe (Civil War). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company C, 55th Illinois Infantry, for actions at Vicksburg, MS, May 19, 1863. Howe died in 1930 and is buried in Section 4, Site 207A.
  • Pharmacist's Mate Third Class Jack Williams (World War II). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Naval Reserves with the 3d Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in recognition of self-sacrificing administration of first aid to others during the occupation of Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, March 3, 1945. Williams is buried in Section 30, Site 2375.
  • Chief Pharmacist Fred H. McGuire (Philippines, 1911). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Navy, for actions while attached to the USS Pampanga on the island of Basilan, Philippine Islands, September 24, 1911. McGuire died in 1958 and is buried in Section 29, Site 332.

Visiting hours at Springfield National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on Christmas and New Year's Day.

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

Where is the Springfield National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Springfield 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 Springfield National Cemetery directly at 417-881-9499.

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 Missouri law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Missouri 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 Springfield 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. Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, Inc.
    Springfield, MOMilitary honors services
    0.3 mi from the cemetery
  2. 2.7 mi from the cemetery
  3. 3.1 mi from the cemetery
  4. Eastlawn Funeral Home
    Springfield, MO
    3.1 mi from the cemetery
  5. 3.3 mi from the cemetery
  6. 3.4 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Springfield National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Springfield 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 Springfield 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 Springfield 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 Springfield 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 Springfield 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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