Source: National Cemetery Administration · cem.va.gov · scraped May 2026
History of Indiantown Gap National Cemetery
Indiantown Gap derives its name from the various Native American communities that resided in this region of Pennsylvania. The first inhabitants were Susquehannocks, an Iroquois tribe first encountered by Europeans in the 17th century. In the mid-1700s, Scotch-Irish, English and German pioneers settled the region and managed to live peacefully with the neighboring Lenape Indians. During the French and Indian War, however, tribes who were allied with French colonists raided many English frontier settlements. As Indiantown Gap increasingly became the site of frequent battles, pioneers built a number of defensive structures, including Swatara Fort, Harpers Fort and Reeds Fort.
In the 1930s, when the Pennsylvania National Guard needed a larger area for training maneuvers and firing ranges, the government authorized the acquisition of 12,047 acres in Dauphin and Lebanon counties. The 55th Infantry Brigade was the first unit to use Fort Indiantown Gap when it held its annual maneuvers at the reservation in summer 1932. The following year, the 53rd Field Artillery first trained at Indiantown Gap, and in 1934, the 28th Infantry Division and 52nd Cavalry Brigade were assembled there. Over 100 buildings from nearby Mount Gretna — including officers' mess halls, administration buildings, latrines and bathhouses — were dismantled and hauled by truck to the present location at Indiantown Gap.
After World War II, Indiantown Gap became a separation center for officers and enlisted men returning from overseas, and eventually home to the 32,000 troops of the 5th Infantry Division and a training center during the Korean War. From 1962 to 1973, Indiantown Gap was the host installation for the largest Reserve Officers Training Corps advanced summer camp nationwide. During this 11-year period, 41,158 cadets completed training. In 1975, Fort Indiantown Gap became a camp for Southeast Asian refugees. For eight months, more than 22,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees were resettled through this facility.
In 1976, a section of Fort Indiantown Gap was selected as the national cemetery for the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania donated Land for the 677-acre site to the Veterans Administration.
Monuments and Memorials The elaborate Pennsylvania Veterans' Memorial is the largest monument in VA's National cemeteries. The combination open-air space and building stands 107 feet high and 360 feet long. Its design evokes "the ruins of a war-torn building centered in a land of solemnity." Designed by Cee Jay Associates of West Chester, PA, the granite, stone, and concrete composition was dedicated October 7, 2001. The memorial is dedicated to all who serve the nation and veterans of all wars — past and future. Sponsors were veterans, the estate of Major Charles and Eva Hawkins and the state of Pennsylvania.
Notable interments
Veterans, public figures, and citizens of note buried at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, listed by section and site as recorded by the National Cemetery Administration.
Born in Pine Grove, PA, Russell William Brown (1922–2018) attended school and listed "acting" as his career field when registering for the draft during World War II.
Staff Sergeant Brown served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 as a paratrooper with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, F Company, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. His four combat jumps — over Salerno and Sicily (Italy), Normandy (France), and Njimegen (Holland) — and that experience is included in Four Stars of Valor and All American, All the Way, books that chronicle the 505th PIR and 82nd Airborne Division. As a civilian Brown worked for E.I. DuPont. Around 1955 he married and the family lived in Georgetown, KY. He died there on August 31, at age 96, and is buried in Section 3, Site 779.
Born in South Carolina, Robert (Bob) Montgomery (1919–1998) was one of nine children and his father was a sharecropper.
During the Great Depression years, Montgomery moved to North Philadelphia where he learned to box and joined "The Slaughterhouse" gym. He turned professional in 1938 and won the Lightweight Championship title in Madison Square Garden in 1943. Montgomery was drafted in World War II and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, 1944–1945. Corporal Montgomery was discharged at Luke Air Field in Arizona. He returned to Philadelphia and reclaimed his championship title in 1947. Montgomery retired in 1950 but he continued to promote the sport and opportunities for black Americans. Montgomery was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995. He died August 25 at age 79, and is buried in Section 13, Site 867.
Pennsylvanian Walter B.
Pleate (1876–1985) was the oldest U.S. veteran when he died at the VA Medical Center in Lebanon. Born to German immigrants living in Bridesburg (now part of Philadelphia), in 1899 he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Private Pleate's enlistment record notes service as a musician in Company I, 2nd U.S. Infantry, and his discharge in Laguimanos, Philippine Islands. His tour of duty included the Philippines and fighting in the Boxer Rebellion (1900). Pleate returned to Philadelphia after his military service ended in February 1902, and by 1910 he was a helper in the Philadelphia Almshouse and Hospital. In the 1930s Pleate sought veterans' compensation for his Spanish-American War service, and he entered the VA hospital network by 1940. At the time of his death at 109 on December 5, he had no known survivors. Musician Pleate is buried in Section 11, Site 138.
John J.
Shumaker (1929–1999) was born in Harrisburg, PA. He served as a commander in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Shumaker lived in central Pennsylvania for most of his life and worked as an attorney and businessman. He helped bring the Penn National Racetrack to Grantsville in 1968 and worked as its president and general manager until 1983. That year, he filled a vacant senate seat for Pennsylvania's Fifteenth District and served in that capacity until resigning for health reasons in 1995. He advocated for veterans and formed the state's first veterans advisory board. The Harrisburg Area Community College named a safety center on its campus after him in 1988. Shumaker died on October 13, 1999, and is buried in Section 20, Site 192.
Paul Vathis (1925–2002) was born in Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe), PA.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps during WWII as a high school senior and trained in photography. He flew combat missions with the 1st Marine Air Wing in the South Pacific photographing bomb damage. He began a fifty-six-year career as an Associated Press photographer in 1946, most of it with the Harrisburg bureau. His proximity to President Eisenhower's Gettysburg residence made him a regular in the press pool there. This familiarity helped give him access to photograph a Camp David meeting between Eisenhower and new President John Kennedy after the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion. "Serious Steps," a photograph taken in this session won the 1962 Pulitzer Prize. He died December 10 at age 77, and is buried in Section 25, Site 504.
Eligibility for burial at Indiantown Gap 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.
Request eligibility status for:
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Burial in a VA national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
Directions
The cemetery is located 25 miles northeast of the Harrisburg International Airport. From the airport, travel Interstate 283 North to Interstate 83 North to Interstate 81 North and take exit 85B. Bear right off the exit and the cemetery entrance is ¼ mile on the right.
Floral and grounds policy
Cemetery policies are conspicuously posted and readily visible to the public.
Funeral arrangements to include a casket spray and three floral pieces accompanying the casket or urn at the time of the burial will be placed on the completed grave. They will be removed at the discretion of the cemetery when they become unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.
Weapons policy
VA regulations 38 CFR 1.218 prohibit the carrying of firearms (either openly or concealed), explosives or other dangerous or deadly weapons while on VA property, except for official purposes, such as military funeral honors.
Possession of firearms on any property under the charge and control of VA is prohibited. Offenders may be subject to a fine, removal from the premises, or arrest.
Education and visiting programs
We are developing educational content for this national cemetery, and will post new materials as they become available. Visit the Veterans Legacy Program and NCA History Program for additional information. Thank you for your interest.
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Nearest cemeteries
The three closest veteran cemeteries to Indiantown Gap National Cemetery (by straight-line distance):
- Prospect Hill Cemetery Soldiers' Lot — York, PA (32 mi · closed)
- Ashland Cemetery Soldiers' Lot — Carlisle, PA (36 mi · closed)
- Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery — Owings Mills, MD (68 mi · open)
Nearby veteran-friendly funeral homes
The following funeral homes within a 50-mile radius of Indiantown Gap National Cemetery have demonstrated a commitment to serving veterans through specialized services, VA benefits coordination, or dedicated honors details.
Buse Funeral Home is a premier funeral home located at 9066 Jonestown Road in Grantville, PA. The property features well-appointed spaces including on_site_chapel, viewing_rooms, and reception_space. Professional offerings include cremation, burial, and pre_planning_services, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $3,450. For families preferring a traditional approach, basic burial services begin at $4,330, while direct cremation is available from $3,450. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Catholic, Church of the Brethren, and Christian.
Dimon Funeral Homes Inc is a premier funeral home located at 644 East Grand Avenue in Tower City, PA. The property features well-appointed spaces including meeting rooms, children's library, and funeral home chapel. Professional offerings include general services, funeral services, and cremation services, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $2,650. For families preferring a traditional approach, basic burial services begin at $4,000, while direct cremation is available from $2,650. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Catholic, Baptist, Assemblies of God, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Methodist, and Bible Church.
Hoover Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. is a premier funeral home located at 88 Lucy Avenue in Hershey, PA. The property features well-appointed spaces including modern facilities, handicap accessible, and ample off-street parking. Professional offerings include traditional funerals, memorial services, and celebration of life services, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $2,675. For families preferring a traditional approach, basic burial services begin at $5,270, while direct cremation is available from $2,675. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Christian and Catholic.
Dimon Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc. is a premier funeral home located at 644 East Grand Ave. in Tower City, PA. With deep roots in the community, they provide a peaceful and accommodating environment to honor the memory of loved ones. Direct cremation services are provided starting at $2,650.
Trefz & Bowser Funeral Home, Inc. is a premier funeral home located at 114 West Main St. in Hummelstown, PA. The property features well-appointed spaces including main parlor, historic parlor, and arrangement room. Professional offerings include burial, earth burial, and cremation, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $2,195. Direct cremation services are provided starting at $1,795. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Jewish, Catholic, Protestant (various Christian denominations), Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam, and Orthodox Judaism.
H.L. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc. is a premier funeral home located at 139 South Tulpehocken St. in Pine Grove, PA. The property features well-appointed spaces including funeral home. Professional offerings include funeral service arrangements, casket choices, and funeral flowers, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Lutheran, United Church of Christ, and Catholic.
Grose, A Huie Family Funeral Home is a premier funeral home located at 358 West Washington Avenue in Myerstown, PA. The property features well-appointed spaces including funeral home. Professional offerings include funeral services, preplanning, and aftercare program, handled with the utmost care by their licensed directors. General services start at $2,860. For families preferring a traditional approach, basic burial services begin at $5,470, while direct cremation is available from $2,860. The staff is experienced in coordinating with various faith traditions, specifically Methodist, Roman Catholic, Mennonite, Protestant (Non-denominational), Church of the Brethren, and Lutheran.
H L Snyder Funeral Home Inc is a premier funeral home located at 139 South Tulpehocken Street in Pine Grove, PA. With deep roots in the community, they provide a peaceful and accommodating environment to honor the memory of loved ones.