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Black Hills National Cemetery: Difference between revisions
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==History== | ==History== | ||
===Establishment=== | ===Establishment=== | ||
The cemetery was established from land that once formed part of [[Fort Meade (South Dakota)|Fort Meade]]. When the fort officially closed as a military installation in 1944, most of its surrounding land was divided among various local interests. This closure coincided with a renewed need by the [[Department of the Army]] for military burial space following [[World War II]] and an aging veteran population from | The cemetery was established from land that once formed part of [[Fort Meade (South Dakota)|Fort Meade]]. When the fort officially closed as a military installation in 1944, most of its surrounding land was divided among various local interests. This closure coincided with a renewed need by the [[Department of the Army]] for military burial space following [[World War II]] and an aging veteran population from World War I and other previous conflicts. The Department of the Army took notice that the closest military cemetery for Black Hills veterans was at [[Fort Snelling National Cemetery]] in [[Minnesota]], several hundred miles away. In July 1947, Chief of the Memorial Division of the Quartermaster Corps George Horkan was placed in charge of surveying the Fort Meade area for a potential new cemetery site.{{sfn|Mehls|2016|p=9}} | ||
Although Fort Meade had its own cemetery dating back to the 19th century, a number of factors prevented the VA from repurposing it. Firstly, it was deemed too small in size;{{sfn|Mehls|2016|p=9}} originally, the VA considered moving the existing bodies to Fort Snelling to make room for new burials, but cancelled this plan after facing considerable pushback from local cities.<ref name="dedicationldc">{{cite news |title=Fort Meade National Cemetery Dedicated |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lead-daily-call-fort-meade-national-ceme/141434287/ |access-date=February 18, 2024 |work=Lead Daily Call |date=October 4, 1948 |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/lead-daily-call-fort-meade-national-ceme/141434287/ 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/lead-daily-call-ft-meade-cemetery/141434467/ 5] |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The Fort Meade cemetery was also rather remote, and access roads were in poor condition. Finally, the bodies could not be moved without contacting next-of-kin, a task which would have proven impossible due to the age of many of the burials.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Bob |title=Ridin' the Range |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/rapid-city-journal-rapid-city-journal-r/18273380/ |access-date=February 18, 2024 |work=[[Rapid City Journal|Rapid City Daily Journal]] |date=March 19, 1950 |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> | Although Fort Meade had its own cemetery dating back to the 19th century, a number of factors prevented the VA from repurposing it. Firstly, it was deemed too small in size;{{sfn|Mehls|2016|p=9}} originally, the VA considered moving the existing bodies to Fort Snelling to make room for new burials, but cancelled this plan after facing considerable pushback from local cities.<ref name="dedicationldc">{{cite news |title=Fort Meade National Cemetery Dedicated |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lead-daily-call-fort-meade-national-ceme/141434287/ |access-date=February 18, 2024 |work=Lead Daily Call |date=October 4, 1948 |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/lead-daily-call-fort-meade-national-ceme/141434287/ 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/lead-daily-call-ft-meade-cemetery/141434467/ 5] |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The Fort Meade cemetery was also rather remote, and access roads were in poor condition. Finally, the bodies could not be moved without contacting next-of-kin, a task which would have proven impossible due to the age of many of the burials.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Bob |title=Ridin' the Range |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/rapid-city-journal-rapid-city-journal-r/18273380/ |access-date=February 18, 2024 |work=[[Rapid City Journal|Rapid City Daily Journal]] |date=March 19, 1950 |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> | ||