Monday, September 28, 2020 Categories:
2020

By Mrs. Pamela Helbing-Schafer, Director North Dakota Veterans Cemetery

The N.D. Veteran's Cemetery was established by an act of the 1989 N.D. Legislative Assembly. The cemetery was opened in 1992, and is operated by the office of the adjutant general of North Dakota. It is located 6.5 miles south of Mandan on Highway 1806 on a 70 acre tract of land near Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. This cemetery is dedicated to the men and women who have served this state and nation with distinction and honor. Today interments of military members and their dependents number 9,522. Of these 69% are male and 31% are female. Solders lead interments with 3,942 (62%) followed by Sailors 1,315 (21%), Airmen 732 (12%), Marines 349 (5%), and members of the Coast Guard 24 (less than 1%). According to the director, Pam Helbling-Schafer, the cemetery has enough space available for the next 23 years.

Besides the annual Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the N.D. National Guard, the cemetery hosts about 10 funerals and interment services every week. Within the past year, two N.D. Sailors who were killed at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 were interred. For more information to include eligibility for burial, cost, regulations and more, please chick to visit the N.D. Veterans Cemetery website.

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A Naval Honor Detachment folds a U.S. Flag over the cremated remains of Navy Fireman 2nd Class Albert Renner on Sept. 18, 2020 at the N.D. Veterans Cemetery. Renner was killed at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were recently identified.
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These statistics indicate the numbers of War Service Veterans buried at the N.D. Veterans Cemetery.
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Soldiers of the N.D. National Guard Funeral Honors stand ready to fire rifle volleys in honor of Navy Fireman 2nd Class Albert Renner on Sept. 18, 2020 at the N.D. Veterans Cemetery. The firing detachment was commanded by a Soldier standing to the rear.
Navy Funeral Honors prepare to fold the U.S. Flag draped over the casket of Radioman 2nd Class Floyd A. Wells at the N.D. Veterans Cemetery on Oct. 1, 2019. Wells was killed on Dec. 7, 1941 when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the U.S. Navy fleet docked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Navy Funeral Honors prepare to fold the U.S. Flag draped over the casket of Radioman 2nd Class Floyd A. Wells at the N.D. Veterans Cemetery on Oct. 1, 2019. Wells was killed on Dec. 7, 1941 when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the U.S. Navy fleet docked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.