West Virginia National Cemetery
Encyclopedia
West Virginia National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery
located Grafton
, Taylor County
, West Virginia
. It encompasses 89.7 acres (363,003.3 m²). Along with Grafton National Cemetery
, it is one of the two national cemeteries in the state of West Virginia, both of which are located in Grafton. After it was determined that the 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) Grafton cemetery had inadequate space for new burials, West Virginia groups began petitioning for a new national cemetery for the state. The federal government appropriated the site of the former West Virginia Industrial School for Boys for the new cemetery, which was dedicated and opened in 1987.
had limited free space for new burials. A 1975 study of the cemetery determined that the remaining unused space was either too steep or too costly to use. West Virginia veteran groups such as the West Virginia United Veterans National Cemetery Committee campaigned state and federal government officials for a new national cemetery.
Negotiations between the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
and the state resulted in the selection of a 58 acres (234,717.9 m²) site that was part of the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys. Construction was delayed by work negotiations and poor weather conditions. A dedication ceremony took place on September 28, 1987 and the cemetery was opened for interments the next day, even though construction was incomplete.
The cemetery contains the Industrial School for Boys monument, a granite memorial erected in 1992 in memory of the residents of the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys who were buried at the cemetery between 1890 and 1939.
In 2010, the remains of World War II
casualty Private First Class
Lawrence Harris of Elkins, West Virginia
were relocated to the National Cemetery after having been lost for 66 years. Harris and two other American soldiers—Corporal
Judge C. Hellums and Private
Donald D. Owens—were killed on October 9, 1944 when their M10 tank destroyer was destroyed by an explosion in France
. The soldiers' remains were identified at the time of the incident, but after the war Army Graves Registration Service
members were unable to locate the remains. In 1947, the three men were declared dead and their remains unrecoverable by a military board. The board was unaware that an Army group had removed the remains and had them buried unidentified at Ardennes American Cemetery
in Belgium
. After an ID bracelet was recovered from the site in 2003, investigations between 2006 and 2008 led to the graves being exhumed for DNA testing. The three soldiers were and Harris' remains were reintered at the National Cemetery in his home state.
United States National Cemetery
"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...
located Grafton
Grafton, West Virginia
Grafton is a city in, and county seat of, Taylor County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 5,489 at the 2000 census. The only two national cemeteries in West Virginia are located in Grafton. Mother's Day was founded in Grafton on May 10, 1908; the city is the home to the International Mother's...
, Taylor County
Taylor County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,089 people, 6,320 households, and 4,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 93 people per square mile . There were 7,125 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. It encompasses 89.7 acres (363,003.3 m²). Along with Grafton National Cemetery
Grafton National Cemetery
Grafton National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia. It encompasses a total of . Along with West Virginia National Cemetery, it is one of the two national cemeteries in the state of West Virginia, both of which are located in Grafton...
, it is one of the two national cemeteries in the state of West Virginia, both of which are located in Grafton. After it was determined that the 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) Grafton cemetery had inadequate space for new burials, West Virginia groups began petitioning for a new national cemetery for the state. The federal government appropriated the site of the former West Virginia Industrial School for Boys for the new cemetery, which was dedicated and opened in 1987.
History
By the 1960s the small, 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) Grafton National CemeteryGrafton National Cemetery
Grafton National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia. It encompasses a total of . Along with West Virginia National Cemetery, it is one of the two national cemeteries in the state of West Virginia, both of which are located in Grafton...
had limited free space for new burials. A 1975 study of the cemetery determined that the remaining unused space was either too steep or too costly to use. West Virginia veteran groups such as the West Virginia United Veterans National Cemetery Committee campaigned state and federal government officials for a new national cemetery.
Negotiations between the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
and the state resulted in the selection of a 58 acres (234,717.9 m²) site that was part of the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys. Construction was delayed by work negotiations and poor weather conditions. A dedication ceremony took place on September 28, 1987 and the cemetery was opened for interments the next day, even though construction was incomplete.
The cemetery contains the Industrial School for Boys monument, a granite memorial erected in 1992 in memory of the residents of the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys who were buried at the cemetery between 1890 and 1939.
In 2010, the remains of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
casualty Private First Class
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
Lawrence Harris of Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins , a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,032 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County...
were relocated to the National Cemetery after having been lost for 66 years. Harris and two other American soldiers—Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
Judge C. Hellums and Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
Donald D. Owens—were killed on October 9, 1944 when their M10 tank destroyer was destroyed by an explosion in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The soldiers' remains were identified at the time of the incident, but after the war Army Graves Registration Service
Mortuary Affairs
right|thumbnail|A soldier from a graves registration unit attempts identification of a skull during [[World War II]]Mortuary Affairs is a service within the United States Army Quartermaster Corps tasked with the retrieval, identification, transportation, and burial of deceased American and...
members were unable to locate the remains. In 1947, the three men were declared dead and their remains unrecoverable by a military board. The board was unaware that an Army group had removed the remains and had them buried unidentified at Ardennes American Cemetery
Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial
The Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial is home to the graves of 5,329 members of the United States military who died in World War II. It is one of fourteen cemeteries for American World War II dead on foreign soil, and is administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. After an ID bracelet was recovered from the site in 2003, investigations between 2006 and 2008 led to the graves being exhumed for DNA testing. The three soldiers were and Harris' remains were reintered at the National Cemetery in his home state.
See also
- Grafton National CemeteryGrafton National CemeteryGrafton National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia. It encompasses a total of . Along with West Virginia National Cemetery, it is one of the two national cemeteries in the state of West Virginia, both of which are located in Grafton...
- United States National CemeteryUnited States National Cemetery"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...
- United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...