An independent directory for U.S. veterans and their families. Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

An American Memorial Directory
VeteranFunerals

VA National Cemetery

Fort Bayard National Cemetery

200 Camino De Paz · Fort Bayard, NM 88036

Open for burial

Fort Bayard National Cemetery is a VA national cemetery in Fort Bayard, New Mexico. VA lists it as open for burials. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

Source: National Cemetery Administration (cem.va.gov), retrieved May 2026

History of Fort Bayard National Cemetery

Fort Bayard is located in southwestern New Mexico adjacent to the Gila National Forest. The site was chosen in 1863 for its springs and commanding view of the Apache war trails surrounding the nearby mining camps. In 1866, a permanent post was established here with the primary responsibility for protecting the Pinos Altos gold camp. The post was named Fort Bayard in honor of General G.D. Bayard, who died from wounds received during the Battle of Fredericksburg, and who had served in New Mexico and Arizona prior to the Civil War. The U.S. Army launched numerous attacks against the Apache from Fort Bayard during the 1870–1880s, which ended only with the surrender of the Apache Chief Geronimo.

The first known interment at Fort Bayard was Sergeant David H. Boyd of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry, buried October 10, 1866. In 1899, the Army deactivated Fort Bayard and established it as a tuberculosis hospital and research center. In 1922, the hospital was transferred to the Veterans Bureau, which became part of the new Veterans Administration in 1930. Fort Bayard Cemetery was established the same year, and became part of the National Cemetery System in 1973 when its administration was transferred from the Department of the Army to the Veterans Administration. In the 1990s, the state of New Mexico donated 3.95 acres to the cemetery.

Fort Bayard National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 7, 2002.

Notable interments

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note buried at Fort Bayard National Cemetery, with section and site where recorded.

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 Alonzo Bowman (Indian Wars).

He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company D, 6th U.S. Cavalry, for actions at Cibicu Creek, Arizona Territory, August 30, 1881. He died in 1885 and is buried in Section A, Row I, Site 31.

Sergeant John Schnitzer (Indian Wars).

He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Troop G, 4th U.S. Cavalry, for actions at Horseshoe Canyon, New Mexico Territory, April 23, 1882. Schnitzer died in 1904 and is buried in Section AO, Site 43.

Other Burials One of the most important civilians buried at Fort Bayard is Walter Foote Sellers, author of the poem, "The Kneeling Nun." He was the stepson of retired Brigadier General Walter I.

Duggan. On his headstone is engraved "Ah, Me, the World Seems Lonelier Today."

In the civilian section of the cemetery near the fence on the east side is also buried John William Richmond Kennedy, who died at St.

Joseph's sanitarium, Silver City, NM on March 14, 1914. He was the eldest son of the Honorable William Rann Kennedy, Knt. P.C. of England.

The first burial at the Post cemetery with positive identification was Sergeant David H.

Boyd, Company M, 3rd U. S. Cavalry, October 10, 1866. One other, who is recorded as an "Unknown," preceded it.

New Mexico native Thomas P.

Foy (1914–2011) graduated from the University of Notre Dame (IN) in the late 1930s and began to practice law. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1941 and went to the Philippine Islands. First Lieutenant Foy was in the Pacific that December when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. He was captured in April 1942 and was among the more than 70,000 Filipino and U.S. troops marched 60 miles across the Bataan Peninsula. Foy survived 44 months in a POW camp before being rescued; he received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and other commendations for his service. As a civilian Foy married and returned to his legal career. He was elected as county district attorney in 1949–1956 and to the state legislature in 1970–1998. Foy died October 6 and is buried in Section F, Row R, Site 15.

Directions

From the El Paso International Airport, travel Interstate 10 west 101 miles to Deming. At Deming, take the Silver City exit to U.S. Highway 180 and continue north 49 miles to the State of New Mexico Hospital exit. Follow the signs to the cemetery.

Flowers and grounds rules

Cemetery policies are conspicuously posted and readily visible to the public.

Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial will be placed on the completed grave. Natural cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time of the year. They will be removed when they become unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.

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

Where is the Fort Bayard National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Fort Bayard 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 Fort Bayard National Cemetery directly at 505-988-6400.

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 New Mexico law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in New Mexico 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.

Nearest cemeteries

The three veterans cemeteries closest to Fort Bayard National Cemetery, by straight-line distance:

Funeral homes near Fort Bayard 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. 1.4 mi from the cemetery
  2. Bright Funeral Home
    Silver City, NM
    7.4 mi from the cemetery
  3. 43.8 mi from the cemetery
  4. 57.3 mi from the cemetery
  5. 78.5 mi from the cemetery
  6. 86.8 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS