View source for Fort Bliss National Cemetery

{{Short description|Historic veterans cemetery in El Paso County, Texas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox cemetery
| name         = Fort Bliss National Cemetery
| image        = Soldiers Honor Their Own DVIDS22242.jpg
| image_size   =
| alt          =
| caption      = Traditional rifle, helmet, and boots memorial honor at Fort Bliss National Cemetery
| map_type     =
| map_size     =
| map_caption  =
| established  = 1894
| abandoned    = <!-- or | closed = -->
| location     = 5200 Fred Wilson Blvd.,<br>[[El Paso, Texas]]
| country      = United States
| coordinates  = {{coord|31|49|23|N|106|25|28|W|type:landmark_region:US-TX_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
| type         = [[United States national cemetery|Veteran]]
| style        =
| owner        = [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs]]
| size         =
| graves       =
| interments   =
| cremations   =
| leases       =
| website      = [https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftbliss.asp Fort Bliss National Cemetery]
| findagraveid = 3651
| politicalgeo =
| footnotes    =
| nrhp         = {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes
| name                 = Fort Bliss National Cemetery
| nrhp_type            =
| image                =
| alt                  =
| caption              =
| locmapin             = Texas#USA
| map_label            = Fort Bliss National Cemetery
| locmap_relief        = yes
| map_alt              =
| map_caption          =
| coordinates          =
| location             =
| built                =
| builder              =
| architect            =
| architecture         =
| added                = March 8, 2016
| designated_nrhp_type =
| visitation_num       =
| visitation_year      =
| refnum               = 16000066<ref name=NRHPweekly>{{cite web|title=Fort Bliss National Cemetery, National Register of Historic Places Program|url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/16000066.htm|date=October 7, 2016|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|access-date=September 18, 2017}}</ref>
| website              = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} -->
| mpsub                = [https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/64501262.htm Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1939]
}}
}}
'''Fort Bliss National Cemetery''' is a [[United States National Cemetery]] in [[West Texas]], located at [[Fort Bliss, Texas|Fort Bliss]], a [[List of United States Army installations|U.S. Army post]] adjacent to the city of [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]]. Administered by the [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Department of Veterans Affairs]], it encompasses {{convert|82.1|acre}}, and as of 2014, had over 50,000 interments.  It was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2016.

==History==
[[File:Mexican Revolution (3).jpg|alt=A bugler at a military funeral at a Ft. Bliss Post Cemetery|thumb|A bugler at a military funeral at a Ft. Bliss Post Cemetery]]

Fort Bliss itself was not established until the 1840s, but burials were made in the area of the cemetery as early as 1833. The fort was used as a [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] infantry post during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], a [[cavalry]] post for training during [[World War I]], and then became a [[demobilization]] camp after the war. Before Ft. Bliss was moved, soldiers were buried at what is now Cleveland Square and the downtown [[El Paso Public Library]].{{Sfn|Metz|1993|p=122}} Union soldiers buried there were removed and reburied at [[Fort Snelling]] in 1883.{{Sfn|Metz|1993|p=87}} In 1893, this former Ft. Bliss cemetery was granted to the City of El Paso.{{Sfn|Metz|1993|p=122}}

In 1894, the area where the cemetery is currently located was designated as the Fort Bliss Post Cemetery.{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=269}} In 1914, the cemetery measured just {{convert|2.2|acre}}; an additional 2.2 acres were added during the war. In 1939, funds were allocated for improvements and plans were approved to designate it a national cemetery.{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=269}}

In addition to being the final resting place of American soldiers, Fort Bliss National Cemetery was chosen by the [[Republic of China (1912–49)|Chinese]] government as the place of interment for 52 [[Republic of China Air Force]] cadets who died while training at the fort in 1944.{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=270}} Several German prisoners of war, and three Japanese civilians who were transferred from a cemetery in [[Lordsburg, New Mexico]] were also interred here, as were a German scientist who died while participating in research projects at Fort Bliss during [[World War II]] and an officer of the British [[Royal Air Force]] who served during that same war.<ref name="cwgc">[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2720035/%20KIMPTON,%20PETER%20ADRIAN] CWGC casualty report.</ref>

In order to make way for new construction in the [[New Orleans Central Business District|central business district]] in [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]] in 1955, the remains of  the Fort's namesake Lieutenant Colonel [[William Wallace Smith Bliss]] (1815–1853) were disinterred from [[Girod Street Cemetery]] in New Orleans and brought to Fort Bliss, along with the monument erected in his memory.

In June 1973, the Veterans Administration took over operational duties of the cemetery.{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=269}} During the 1990s, twenty acres were added to the cemetery which were given by the Department of the Army.{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=270}}

In 2002, the cemetery was using 90 million [[gallon]]s of water a year to keep the grass in the area green.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Cemetery fights water shortage; Bliss joins other installations now turning to xeriscaping|last=Martinez|first=Leonard|date=22 July 2002|work=El Paso Times}}</ref> Plans for [[xeriscaping]] the cemetery began discussion in 2002.<ref name=":0" /> The xeriscaping was opposed by many because it was felt that xeriscaping looked less dignified or respectful, according to the ''[[El Paso Times]].''<ref>{{Cite news|title=City OKs resolution opposing xeriscaping at Bliss cemetery|last=Borunda|first=Daniel|date=7 August 2002|work=El Paso Times}}</ref>  In 2007, the cemetery was xeriscaped with a budget of $4.2 million to convert the land.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|title=Protesters criticize xeriscaping, demand grass at Fort Bliss National Cemetery|last=Bracamontes|first=Aaron|date=20 October 2013|work=El Paso Times}}</ref> William F. Tuerk, director of the [[United States national cemetery|National Cemetery Administration]] oversaw the change.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Xeriscaping to remain at Fort Bliss cemetery|last=Roberts|first=Chris|date=1 November 2007|work=El Paso Times}}</ref> In 2013, the cemetery won the Texas Environmental Excellence Award because it was saving an average of $400,000 a year because of cutting costs for water and grass upkeep.<ref name=":1" /> In 2013, around 100 graves began to sink in the cemetery due to heavy rainfall in the area.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Graves sink at Fort Bliss National Cemetery|last=Martinez|first=Aaron|date=15 September 2013|work=El Paso Times}}</ref> Eventually, 1,300 graves were damaged, prompting [[geologist]]s, Diane Doser and Lixin Jin and Representative [[Joe Moody (Texas)|Joe Moody]] to investigate the cause of the problem at the cemetery.<ref>{{Cite news|title=UTEP researchers, Rep. Joe Moody tour Fort Bliss National Cemetery, study soil|last=Martinez|first=Aaron|date=2 October 2014|work=El Paso Times}}</ref>

==Notable monuments==
* A monument dedicated to the [[United States Coast Guard]] and [[United States Navy|Navy]] personnel who died in the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], erected by Pearl Harbor Survivors Association in 1984.
* The Military Order of the World Wars, a monument dedicated to the officers in military service, erected in 1986.
* The American Prisoners of War Monument, dedicated to all prisoners of war, erected in 1986.

==Notable interments==
[[File:Wm L Lyon Jr burial at Fort Bliss.jpg|thumb|Burial ceremony for a World War II veteran, January 2019]]

===Medal of Honor recipients===
* [[Corporal]] [[Frank Bratling]] (1845–1873), for action in [[New Mexico Territory]] during the [[Indian Wars]] ([[cenotaph]])<ref>[http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=890 Hall of Valor]</ref>
* [[Master Sergeant]] [[Victor H. Espinoza|Victor Hugo Espinoza]] (1928–1986), for action in the Korean War<ref>[https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/valor24/recipients/espinoza/?f=recipient_list Medal of Honor]</ref>
* [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Ambrosio Guillen]] (1929–1953), for action in the Korean War{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=270}}
* [[Private (rank)|Private]] [[George Hooker (Medal of Honor)|George Hooker]] (1847–1873), for action in [[Arizona Territory]] during the [[Indian Wars]]  ([[cenotaph]])<ref>[http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=1023 Hall of Valor]</ref>
* [[Corporal]] [[Benito Martinez (soldier)|Benito Martinez]] (1932–1952), for action in the Korean War{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=270}}

===Others===
*[[Manuel Gregorio Acosta]]-Chicano artist
* Major General [[Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr.]] (1888–1969), decorated World War I veteran and World War II division commander
* [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[William Wallace Smith Bliss]] (1815–1853), Adjutant General of the Western Division of the Army in 1850, married the youngest daughter of President [[Zachary Taylor]]{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=270}}
* Major General [[Arthur H. Butler]] (1903–1972), veteran of [[Banana Wars]] and World War II, [[Navy Cross]] recipient
* Lieutenant General [[Hobart R. Gay]] (1894–1983), World War II general and Korean War division commander<ref>[http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=7351 Hall of Valor]</ref>
* Daniel Richard "Dan" Haggerty (1948–2013), Vietnam War veteran and member of the El Paso County Commissioner's Court
* [[Sherman Hemsley]] (1938–2012), actor and United States Air Force veteran<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jeffersons-star-sherman-hemsley-remembered-393676 ''Hollywood Reporter'']</ref>
* [[Jan Herring]] (1923–2000), artist and veteran of the [[United States Army Nurse Corps|Army Nurse Corps]]<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29406740/|title='Enchanting' Clint Artist Herring Dies|last=Flores-Ritter|first=Erin|date=1 March 2000|work=El Paso Times|access-date=17 March 2019|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* [[Brigadier General (United States)|Brigadier General]] [[S.L.A. Marshall]] (1900–1977), military historian and author
* [[Ray Salazar]] (1931–2016), former [[Mayor of El Paso]] (1977–1979)<ref name="eptimes">{{cite news|title=Editorial: Farewell to El Paso Mayor Ray Salazar |url=http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/05/03/editorial-farewell-el-paso-mayor-ray-salazar/83849100/ |work=[[El Paso Times]] |date=2016-05-02 |accessdate=2016-05-13}}</ref>
* Colonel [[John Stapp]] (1910–1999), M.D., Ph.D., pioneer in studying the effects of acceleration and deceleration forces on humans
* [[Goose Tatum]] (1921–1967), [[Harlem Globetrotters]] star and World War II Army Air Force veteran{{Sfn|Metz|1999|p=270}}
* General [[George V. Underwood Jr.]] (1913–1984), Commander in Chief, US Southern Command
* [[Sergeant Major of the Army]] (SMA) [[William O. Wooldridge]] (1922–2012), first Sergeant Major of the Army

[[File:Ft. Bliss National Cemetery pano.jpg|center|thumb|600 px|Panoramic view of a northeast portion of the cemetery]]

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{Cite book|title=El Paso: Guided Through Time|last=Metz|first=Leon|publisher=Mangan Books|year=1999|isbn=0930208374|location=El Paso, Texas}}
* {{Cite book|title=El Paso Chronicles: A Record of Historical Events in El Paso, Texas|last=Metz|first=Leon C.|publisher=Mangan Books|year=1993|isbn=9780930208325|location=El Paso, Texas}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cem.va.gov/ National Cemetery Administration]
* [http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/ftbliss.asp Fort Bliss National Cemetery]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP0kDA_7uFg Fort Bliss National Disgrace Video]
* {{HALS |survey=TX-2 |id=tx1068 |title=Fort Bliss National Cemetery, 5200 Fred Wilson Boulevard, El Paso, El Paso County, TX |photos=37 |cap=3}}
* {{GNIS|type=retired|1357580}}
* {{Find a Grave cemetery}}
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2073186/EL%20PASO%20(FORT%20BLISS)%20NATIONAL%20CEMETERY CWGC: El Paso (Fort Bliss) National Cemetery]

{{National Register of Historic Places in Texas}}

[[Category:Historic American Landscapes Survey in Texas]]
[[Category:Protected areas of El Paso County, Texas]]
[[Category:United States national cemeteries]]
[[Category:Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in El Paso County, Texas]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in the United States]]
[[Category:Fort Bliss|National Cemetery]]