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VA National Cemetery

San Antonio National Cemetery

517 Paso Hondo Street · San Antonio, TX 78202

San Antonio National Cemetery is a VA national cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

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

History of San Antonio National Cemetery

San Antonio National Cemetery is located in Bexar County, Texas. The Spanish first explored this region in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The town grew out of San Antonio de Béxar Presidio, which was founded in 1718 and the villa of San Fernando de Béxar, which became the capital of Spanish Texas in 1773. By 1778, the settlement had a population of more than 2,000, including Native Americans at the San Antonio de Valero Mission. Despite its status as a colonial capital, most visitors described the town as "miserable." Prominent factions in San Antonio aligned itself with Hidalgo's forces in the fight for Mexican independence. A number of Spanish government officials were subsequently captured and detained. Their victory, however, was short lived. After only one month, Royalist forces recaptured the city, killing and wounding much of San Antonio's population in the process.

During the Texas Revolution, 1835–1836, San Antonio was the site of several battles, including the siege of Bexar (December 1835) and the battle of the Alamo (March 6, 1836). With the establishment of the Republic of Texas in December 1836, Bexar County was organized and San Antonio was chartered as its seat. After Texas entered the Union in 1845, San Antonio experienced a period of rapid growth, as the city became a servicing and distribution center for the western settlement of the United States: a population of 3,488 in 1850 skyrocketed to 8,235 in 10 years. In 1861, local militia forced the surrender of the federal arsenal at San Antonio even before the state seceded on March 2, and San Antonio served out the Civil War as a Confederate depot.

The original national cemetery site, which was part of San Antonio's burying ground, was donated to the U.S. government by the city in 1867. The original deed was lost and the transfer never recorded, however. The city executed a new deed April 14, 1871, conveying approximately 1.89 acres of land to the United States. The first interments at San Antonio were the remains of Union soldiers removed from the city cemetery and outlying areas. Subsequent burials included unknown who had died on the western frontier. A total of 314 unknowns are buried in a common grave in Section H, marked with a monument inscribed "To the Unknown Dead."

San Antonio National Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

Monuments and Memorials A monument dedicated to the Unknown Dead was erected at San Antonio National Cemetery by the U.S. government in 1912.

Notable interments

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note buried at San Antonio 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:

Private David Bennes Barkley (World War I).

Texan David Bennes Barkley served in Company A, 356th Infantry, 89th Division, U.S. Army during World War I. On November 9, 1918, Private Barkley volunteered to swim across the Meuse River to reconnoiter the enemy's location, but when returning, he drowned. Private Barkley received the Medal of Honor in 1919 and his remains were on view at the Alamo in 1921. It was only in 1989 that Barkley was recognized as the first Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient. He is buried in Section G, Site 1302.

Sergeant William H.

Barnes (Civil War). William H. Barnes was born at St. Mary's County, Maryland, in 1841. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 11, 1864, at Norfolk, VA, and served in Company C, 38th Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops (USCT). During the Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia, on September 29, 1864, Private Barnes was among the first troops to enter the enemy works. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for this act of bravery. After the Civil War, Barnes and other USCT were stationed in Texas. Barnes was promoted to sergeant in July 1865, and after several months of detached service, he returned to post and contracted tuberculous. Barnes died December 24, 1866, and is memorialized in Section MA, Site 86.

Sergeant William DeArmond (Indian Wars).

He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, Company I, 5th U.S. Infantry, in recognition of actions at the Upper Washita River, Texas, September 9–11, 1874. DeArmond is memorialized in Section MA, Site 89.

Sergeant Frederick Deetline (Indian Wars).

He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry, for actions at the Little Big Horn River, Montana Territory, June 25, 1876. Deetline died in 1910 and is buried in Section F, Site 921.

First Sergeant Henry Falcott (Indian Wars).

He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company L, 8th U.S. Cavalry, for actions in the Arizona Territory, from August to October 1868. Falcott died in 1910 and is buried in Section F, Site 918.

Corporal John J.

Givens (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, Company K, 6th U.S. Cavalry, in recognition of actions at the Wichita River, Texas, July 12, 1870. His citation was awarded under the name of Given. Corporal Givens is memorialized in Section MA, Site 88.

Private John Harrington

Section F, Site 1012

Private James Howard (Civil War).

He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company K, 158th New York Infantry, for actions at Battery Gregg, near Petersburg, VA, April 2, 1865. Howard died in 1879 and is buried in Section E, Site 889.

Corporal Henry A.

McMasters (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for service in the U.S. Army, Company A, 4th U.S. Cavalry, for his actions at Red River, Texas, September 29, 1872. McMasters died in November that year and is buried in Section D, Site 729.

Directions

The cemetery is located in the eastern section of San Antonio. From Interstate 37, take Commerce exit east and proceed to S. New Braunfels. Turn left and travel one block to Paso Hondo. Travel approximately ½ mile to the cemetery on your right.

Flowers and grounds rules

Fresh cut flowers are permitted on graves year round. Flowers may be removed to facilitate cemetery operations such as lawn mowing and grounds maintenance.

Flower pick-up dates are posted on "Next Flower Pick-Up" signs posted at cemetery entrances. During flower pick-up dates all items, including flags, will be removed from graves and will not be retained. Persons who placed items on graves may recover those items from their loved one's gravesites prior to the scheduled pick-up dates.

Education and visiting programs

More than half of VA's national cemeteries originated with the Civil War and many are closed to some burials. Other sites were established to serve World War veterans and they continue to expand. Historic themes related with NCA's cemeteries and soldiers' lots vary, but visitors should understand "Why is it here?" NCA began by installing interpretive signs, or waysides, at more than 100 properties to observe the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011–2015). Please follow the links below to see the interpretive signs for San Antonio National Cemetery.

A National Cemetery System San Antonio National Cemetery

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

Where is the San Antonio National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for San Antonio 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 San Antonio National Cemetery directly at 210-820-3891.

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

Funeral homes near San Antonio 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. 0.6 mi from the cemetery
  2. 0.7 mi from the cemetery
  3. 1.2 mi from the cemetery
  4. 1.5 mi from the cemetery
  5. 1.5 mi from the cemetery
  6. 1.6 mi from the cemetery

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