The newest National Cemetery in San Diego
The photos and videos on this page are from my latest visit to Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego. This is my favorite of the two National Cemeteries in San Diego. I like the layout of the cemetery, and it’s location immediately West of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar provides regular “fly-overs” by Marine Corps aircraft.
Fort Rosecrans was the original National Cemetery in San Diego. It closed to new burials in the late 1960s. At that point, the nearest National Cemetery open to new burials was in Riverside County. Miramar National Cemetery opened in 2010 to accommodate approximately 235,000 new veteran burials in San Diego. There are dozens of burials every week, and you can see the “new areas” behind fences that the cemetery maintenance crews are preparing for future burials. I like the monuments that are unique to Miramar. Local non-profit veteran’s groups paid for each of the monuments.
You will see some questions about Miramar National Cemetery in my San Diego cemetery trivia quizzes!
Link to the website for Miramar National Cemetery
Miramar National Cemetery – National Cemetery Administration (va.gov)
Videos and photos from my visit:
Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation
The Cemetery Support Foundation was formed in 2006 by local military veterans to persuade the Veteran’s Administration to create a new National Cemetery in San Diego. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery closed to new burials in 1966, forcing veterans and their families to travel to Riverside County for burial in a National Cemetery.
All of the memorial monuments at Miramar were funded privately, coordinated by the Support Foundation. This includes the Avenue of Flags, unique to Miramar. Here is the link to the Foundation:
Home – Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation (miramarcemetery.org)
Photo of one of the plaques at the Carillon tower at Miramar National Cemetery, on the South side of sections 10/11. The Carillon tower dedication ceremony was held in November of 2016. It honors the U.S. Army combat units involved in a major battle to protect Outpost Harry during the Korean war.
, with the Flag Assembly area and the Avenue of Flags. The large U.S. flag is positioned at half-staff on weekdays when burials are taking place. I’m standing in section 16.
Grave of General Cardenas
Retired Air Force General Robert Cardenas, shown (left photo above) speaking at the dedication of his bust near the Veteran’s Museum in Balboa Park honoring his contributions to military aviation, and his grave at Miramar National Cemetery. General Cardenas led the volunteer effort to create a second National Cemetery in San Diego for veteran burials.
“Pre-burial” of casket vaults to ensure straight rows of headstones
Every time I visit a National Cemetery, I admire the “uniform” placement of the graves and markers into rows and columns. That led to research on how its’ done! Before a new veteran’s cemetery or section of a cemetery is opened, the casket vaults are pre-buried. Below is a copy of a satellite photo showing the pre-burial of vaults in a new section of Miramar.
Monuments on display at Miramar National Cemetery
Photo above: statue titled The Liberation, honoring U.S. Prisoners of War from all conflicts. The statue depicts a P.O.W. “emerging” from confinement. Paid for by donations.
The photos above show the two sides of the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. Donated.
About the author – Cultures and Graves
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