"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so. There are also state veteran cemeteries.
The best known National Cemetery is Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C..
Some National Cemeteries, especially Arlington, contain the graves of important civilian leaders and other important national figures. Some National Cemeteries also contain sections for Confederate soldiers.
The National Cemetery Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs maintains 130 of the 146 national cemeteries. The Department of the Army maintains two national cemeteries, Arlington National Cemetery and United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery. The National Park Service (NPS) maintains 14 cemeteries associated with historic sites and battlefields. Additionally the American Battle Monuments Commission maintains 24 American military cemeteries overseas. These exceptions are noted on the list below.
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The first National Cemeteries were set up after the United States Civil War by Edmund Burke Whitman.[1]
Final military honors are provided for qualified veterans by several volunteer details known as a Memorial Honor Detail or MHDs upon request of family members through their choice of mortuaries handling the deceased's remains.
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