National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona

Entrance of the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.

National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Phoenix in Maricopa County, Arizona. It encompasses 225 acres (91 ha), and as of the end of 2005, had 43,672 interments. It is one of two national cemeteries in Arizona (the other being Prescott.

History

A state law passed in 1976, by then-Governor Raul Hector Castro, authorized the establishment of a large veteran's cemetery. The location in Phoenix was chosen and the cemetery was dedicated on December 9, 1978. The first interment took place the following spring. It was officially transferred to the control of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and became a National Cemetery in 1989. In 1999, over 13 million dollars was spent on improving the facilities and developing the area with the intent of serving the burial needs of veterans until the year 2030.

Notable monuments

• Eternal Flame monument (shaped like a pyramid)^[1]
• World War II Submarine Torpedo monument)^[1]
• The Vietnam Veterans Memorial [Field Cross Memorial]

Notable interments

Grave site of Nathan Edward Cook.

Grave site of Evan Mecham (May 12, 1924-February 21, 2008) and Florence Mecham (May 5, 1925-September 4, 2012).

• Thomas Bonner, president of Union College and Wayne State University, author
• Nathan E. Cook, the last surviving veteran of the Spanish–American War, died at the age of 106^[2]
• Doyle "Porky" Lade, major league baseball player, for the Chicago Cubs
• Evan Mecham, former governor of Arizona
• Henry Polic II, Vietnam War U.S. Army veteran and actor
• Eldon Rudd, former member of the United States House of Representatives from Arizona

Footnotes

1. National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona (scroll down to "Monuments and Memorials"). United States Department of Veterans Affairs website. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
2. National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona (scroll down to "Notable Persons"). United States Department of Veterans Affairs website. Retrieved 2010-07-12.

External links

• National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. United States Department of Veterans Affairs website. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
• National Cemetery Administration
• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona
• National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona at Find a Grave

Coordinates: 33°41′45″N 112°01′07″W / 33.69583°N 112.01861°W