Fort Stevens National Cemetery

Fort Stevens National Cemetery is a VA national cemetery in Hammond, Oregon. 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 Stevens National Cemetery

The headstones and the life histories of those at rest relates the history of the lower Columbia River and coastal area. This hallowed ground is the final resting place for local men and women who served in the military, as well as military spouses and children. There are also those who sacrificed their lives to save others and civilian builders who gave their lives to construct Columbia River defenses. The victims of the Graveyard of the Pacific (the treacherous mouth of the Columbia River) are also buried here.

In 1866 the Fort Stevens Quartermaster received authority to construct a cemetery. A serene site in a grove of trees was selected. Located on the road to Clatsop Plains, it was established as 165 feet by 104 feet, surrounded by a soldier-built white picket fence. In the fall of 1905, due to main cantonment expansion, the cemetery was moved to a new location on the southern edge of the post.

The War Department in 1912 ordered consolidation of cemeteries with Fort Stevens as the central location for this region. In 1913, fifty burials from Fort Canby were reinterred at Fort Stevens. The Fort Canby burials included Cape Disappointment Lighthouse personnel and family members.

The 1940s had few burials. In December 1949 the cemetery was transferred to the City of Hammond. The Army reacquired it in 1956 and maintained the active cemetery until its transfer to the National Cemetery Administration in 2020. There was a gap of over 20 years without a burial. In 1970, the cemetery became active again with two Vietnam War Soldiers laid to rest that year.

Directions

Fort Stevens National Cemetery is located off the Columbia River in Hammond, OR. The closest major airport to Fort Stevens is Portland International Airport (PDX). This airport is in Portland, OR and is 106 miles from the center of Fort Stevens. The closest airport to Fort Stevens is Astoria Regional Airport, which is mainly used for small aircraft and private planes and is 8 miles from Fort Stevens National Cemetery.

Flowers and grounds rules

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.

Artificial flowers and potted plants will be permitted on graves between November 1 and March 1. As a rule, artificial flowers and potted plants will be allowed on graves for a period extending five days before through five days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day.

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

Where is the Fort Stevens National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Fort Stevens 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 Stevens National Cemetery directly at 503-273-5250.

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 Oregon law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Oregon 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 Stevens National Cemetery, by straight-line distance:

• Vancouver Barracks National Cemetery, Vancouver, WA: 74 mi, status not listed
• Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, OR: 85 mi, open for burials
• Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, WA: 121 mi, open for burials