Hon. OLIN E. TEAGUE, BAKERSFIELD, CALIF., March 26, 1968. Chairman House Veterans' Affairs Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. We commend you on your early consideration of this problem and we strongly urge that jurisdiction for the administration and maintenance of all national cemeteries be assigned to the administrator of veterans' affairs. That the administrator be given responsibility and authority to develop a national cemetery system. Kern County Veteran Affairs Council, L. G. TAGGART, Chairman. CONCORD, N.H., March 25, 1968. OLIN E. TEAGUE, Chairman, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. New Hampshire State Veterans' Council recommends national cemetery be located in New Hampshire to insure burial of New Hampshire veterans reasonably near their homes. CHARLES R. CUNNINGHAM, Hon. OLIN E. TEAGUE, CITY OF KALAMAZOO, MICH. March 13, 1968. Chairman of Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: The enclosed resolution endorsing the proposal to establish a National Cemetery for veterans in the Fort Custer area was adopted by the City Commission of the City of Kalamazoo at a regular meeting held March 11, 1968. Very truly yours, ARLENE R. VANDER ROEST, City Clerk. CITY OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, RESOLUTION RE: NATIONAL CEMETERY Whereas it appears that there is a need for additional National Cemeteries in the Midwest which will be available to veterans as well as to active service men, and Whereas it appears that there is ample land available in the Fort Custer area for the establishment of such a cemetery; Be it Resolved, That this City Commission hereby endorses the proposal to establish a National Cemetery for the benefit of veterans and active servicemen of the armed services of the United States in the Fort Custer area; and be it further Resolved, That those portions of Sections 35 and 36 of Ross Township, Kalamazoo County, State of Michigan, lying North of Dickman Road and West of Armstrong Road and within the present boundaries of the Fort Custer Military Reservation be that area set aside for and be established as a National Cemetery ; and be it further Resolved, That this City Commission hereby urges the appropriate authorities of the United States Government to use their influence in promoting the establishment of such a cemetery. CERTIFICATE The foregoing resolution was adopted by the City Commission of the City of Kalamazoo, Michigan on the 11th day of March, 1968. ARLENE R. VANDER ROEST, City Clerk. WESTMORELAND COUNTY MEMORIAL PARK, Congressman JOHN F. DENT, House of Rpresentatives, DEAR SENATOR: I am taking the honor and privilege of writing you in reference to "The Crisis in Our National Cemeteries" issued in the Legion Magazine dated November 20, 1967. On September 11, 1967 Representative Olin E. Teague-Texas, introduced a bill (H.R. 12801) in request to placing all national cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the Veterans Administration which I am not familiar with. I have been a Service Manager for a Memorial Park in Westmoreland County for the past five years and I am familiar with all rules and regulations of the cemeteries throughout the country. We have a Veterans Memorial in our Park for the veteran and his family at a lower price to him than the non-veteran. We also provide a free burial plot for any veteran of previous wars and crisis or peace time veterans who cannot afford a burial space, or to his or her family when needed, providing it is a destitute case. Now, I solemnly believe this problem of running out of space can be solved. My plan is simply this: We could have Veterans Memorial sections set aside in all cemeteries throughout the country in nearby communities where the veterans and their families reside. This could be done by having individual cemeteries owned and operated by the legal owners belonging to an organization called the F.N.A.C., Federal National Association of Cemeteries. This means that all owners belong to the organization, and the Perpetual Care Fund (which would be 20% of each sale) would be banked in individual communities under the F.N.A.C. and run by the F.N.A.C. under the National Government of Veterans Affairs. Now the rules of the cemeteries are that only the interest of perpetual care money can be used to maintain the roads and etc. of the Memorial Park or Cemeteries. A certain percentage of this would be released to the parks as the F.N.A.C. sees fit. This could be done by selling the veteran and his family on a pre-arranged basis, letting the veteran use his $250.00 allowance he gets for burial which would be a family plot for him and his wife. This would give him a free family protection plan covering all his children until they reach the age of twenty-one or until they marry. They would be given a free burial space if needed. On the pre-arranged basis, 20% of the $250.00 or $50.00 of each commitment would be going into the F.N.A.C. fund. The interest would be used only for perpetual care and releasing it as needed to the Memorial Parks or Cemeteries. This would not be draining the fund of the Veterans Allowance but it would keep building it up, and, thereby, releasing a drain on the National Budget. This plan also would make it convenient for the family and friends to visit the grave sites of their loved ones. This also could be transferable for any veteran moving to another state at no charge. I hope I have made this brief and understanding to you as to the best of my knowledge. I would appreciate if you would give this some thought and consideration if more information is needed, providing you think this is a sound and appropriate plan, as there would be more to discuss. I hope I haven't taken up too much of your time as I realize time is very valuable to a man of your position and character. Sincerely yours, WOODROW L. ASTLE, Service Manager. MORENO VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Congressman OLIN E. TEAGUE, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN: Transmitted herewith is a resolution concerning the consolidation of the National Cemetery System under the Veterans Administration and the enlargement of the system. We are firmly of the belief that too little is being done by the citizens of the United States to express any pride or gratitude to the servicemen who have participated in the Vietnam conflict. To allow the National Cemetery System to become a historical monument to veterans of past conflicts through administrative indecision or failing to provide space for the interment of all of our veterans is tantamount to a show of disdain by our Congress and Federal Administration of all veterans and service people. Very truly yours, WILLIAM E. BOOTH, President. A RESOLUTION OF THE MORENO VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SUNNYMEAD, CALIF., RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL CEMETERY SYSTEM UNDER A SINGLE FEDERAL AGENCY Whereas the national cemeteries are or will be shortly filled to capacity, thus denying the veteran interment in a national cemetery. Whereas the national cemeteries are presently under the jurisdiction of four separate federal agencies, none of these agencies are taking the initiative to enlarge or increase the number of cemeteries to accommodate the interment of the ever increasing number of veterans. Whereas Congressman John V. Tunney has introduced a bill H.R. 1407 to consolidate the national cemeteries systems into one federal agency, that agency being the Veterans Administration. Congressman Tunney has further introduced a bill H.R. 15903 recommending that a new national cemetery be located in Riverside County, California, the heart of the largest concentration of veterans, military retirees and service people in the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, by the Board of Directors of the Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce, representing an unincorporated area having a population in excess of 26,000 people and eighty (80) percent of the heads of households of the area being veterans, military retirees or service personnel, That the Chamber strongly endorses the consolidation of the National Cemetery System as proposed by H.R. 1407 and the enlargement of the system as proposed by H.R. 15903; and be it further Resolved, That it is incumbent upon all of the duly elected federal representatives of the people of the United States to assure that an adequate national cemeteries system is maintained to assure the opportunity for interment of all veterans of any war or conflict in a national cemetery in the general area of his home; and be it further Resolved, That the secretary is hereby directed to forthwith transmit copies of the resolution to Congressman Tunney, Director, Veterans' Administration and Congressman Olin E. Teague, Chairman, Veterans' Affairs Committee. LUCILLE A. HASKINS, Secretary. Adopted by the Board of Directors at its meeting held March 20, 1968. NEWPORT NEWS, VA., March 13, 1968. Hon. OLIN TEAGUE, Chairman, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, DEAR CONGRESSMAN TEAGUE: It is my understanding your Committee will hold an early hearing on national cemeteries. Down here on the Peninsula/Tidewater area of Hampton Roads, is the Hampton National Cemetery. This cemetery is divided into the Hampton and Phoebus sections. In 1967, plans were approved by the U.S. for the relocation of one wall in the Phoebus section. A contract award is pending by the Norfolk Corps of Engineers, except for certain technicalities. It is approximated following completion of the wall, about 450 burial spaces will become available. It is further estimated by 1969, these spaces will be filled. Thereafter, since the existing cemetery cannot be expanded, it will revert to a maintenance basis. Aside from the announced limited burials of active duty personnel, retirees and veterans serving as high government officials at Arlington National Cemetery, which is about 80 miles from Hampton Roads, otherwise the nearest cemetery space available is located at Fort Harrison (Richmond) Virginia. Within the Tidewater/Peninsula area of the Virginia First Congressional District, we have an exceptional large military population. It comprises Fort Eustis, Fort Monroe, Langley Field Air Base, Naval Weapons Station and Hampton Veterans Administration Hospital. In addition, we have a large residential retirees, plus an indeterminate number of other armed forces personnel susceptible to burial in a national cemetery. During your proposed hearing, it will be appreciated if you and the Committee will give careful consideration in the selection and designation of a suitable future site in our area. With kind personal regards and best wishes for the successful completion of your hearing, I am Sincerely, FOULKE O. E. KNUDSON. Hon. OLIN TEAGUE, CASTRO VALLEY, CALIF., March 12, 1968. Chairman, Veterans' Affairs Committee, DEAR MR. TEAGUE: The Golden Gate National Cemetery is not available for retiree burials, and there is no other national cemetery available for the burial of deceased military personnel in this area. However, there is acreage nearby which can be developed as a national cemetery. The land is owned by the Federal Government. The configuration of the terrain lends itself to this use. I am speaking of a portion of Camp Parks near Livermore, California. It is on standby status for the army. Active facilities there at present include a Job Corps camp, a rehabilitation center operated by the sheriff of Alameda County, California, US Navy housing, US Navy research, NASA installation, and pasture land where a local rancher grazes livestock on several hundred acres. Pasture land available is an area much larger than Golden Gate National Cemetery, and the creation of a national cemetery on some of the grazing land would not interfere with any of the present use except grazing, and it would not interfere with contingent plans of the US Army according to available information. Members of the East San Francisco Bay Retired Officers' Association, of which I am a past president, are keenly interested in this, and our informal contacts with the local American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and service clubs lead us to believe that they are in agreement with us. We need a national cemetery in this area now which is available for burial of deceased military veterans. This information is forwarded in the hope that it will be helpful. Sincerely yours, CLINTON FEENEY, Lieutenant Colonel, AUS (Retired). BERGEN COUNTY COUNCIL, JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES, March 1968. Whereas, it has been estimated by the United States Government that some 40,000,000 persons, including military personnel along with wives and minor children of veterans are eligible for burial in a National Cemetery, and Whereas, there are only approximately 1,000,000 grave sites presently available for this purpose and the present policy of the administration is to phase out the National Cemeteries as space becomes further limited, and Whereas, the National Cemeteries are located primarily near Civil War battle grounds, hospitals and prison camps, and there is a complete lack of such cemeteries near numerous population centers throughout the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That by unanimous decision of the Bergen County Council, the following solutions to the above-named problem be adopted and that this action be made known to the Department of New Jersey and to the National Organization of the Jewish War Veterans and that each of them vigorously pursue a policy working for the adoption and implementation of the following recommendations: 1. That the United States Government purchase areas of land within existing cemeteries (not National Cemeteries) which shall be strategically located throughout the country with reference to veteran population and needs, and designate that section of the cemetery as a National Cemetery; or 2. That the Veterans Burial Allowance presently set at $250 be increased when the veteran's family desires him to be buried in a National Cemetery and there is no available space therein and the family has to procure a grave site in a local cemetery of their choice. The amount of increase above $250 shall be the cost of the veteran's grave as well as the cost of a grave for his surviving spouse as the law presently provides. Respectfully submitted. ALLAN A. MUSICANT, Grave Chairman. STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES BY J. NORMAN KELLY, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA We, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and I, J. Norman Kelly, Director of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, are deeply concerned with the need for an adequate national cemetery system and wish to be on record favoring the establishment of a national cemetery in the Los Angeles area. The Board of Supervisors has directed appeals to the Congress and to The President for the establishment of a national cemetery near Los Angeles. (Letter and Resolution are attached.) Reference is made to The President's Message of January 30, 1968, in which he said: "Every veteran who wants it-those who risked their lives at Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima and the DMZ-should have the right to burial in a National Cemetery situated reasonably close to his home. I have asked the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to make certain that the recommendations of the Commission include proposals to assure this right in a meaningful sense." (H. Document 245, Message from The President of the United States, January 30, 1968.) VETERAN POPULATION There are two and three-quarter million veterans living in the State of California and it is expected that ten percent of those now in the military service will locate in California when discharged from the armed forces. More than half of California veterans live within one hundred miles of Los Angeles, which does not have a national cemetery. Those national cemeteries located near San Francisco and San Diego have been filled to capacity for some time. AVAILABILITY OF LAND California has within its borders a vast amount of federally owned land so that it will not be necessary to expend money for the purchase of land to establish national cemeteries here. In the Los Angeles area there are federally owned lands near Newhall, Santa Fe Flood Control Basin, and the Los Angeles Harbor. NATIONAL FOREST LAND. On January 19, 1967, the Honorable Ed Reinicke, 27th District, California, introduced bill H.R. 3159, calling for the establishment of a national cemetery comprised of not more than 300 acres near Oak Spring Canyon. The tract lies within the boundaries of the Angeles National Forest. SANTA FE FLOOD CONTROL BASIN. There are 2,800 acres of federally owned land in back of a rock revetment that are usable. Engineers estimate that the usable portion would not get flooded more than once in a hundred years. HARBOR AREA. The upper reservation (top side) at Fort MacArthur is used principally for weekend Army Reserve training. Some of the unused land has been transferred to the Navy for housing projects. Because of its size and accessibility, this would be the most logical and desirable place to establish a national cemetery in the Los Angeles area. OTHER. At a greater distance from Los Angeles there is an area which could serve both Los Angeles and San Diego satisfactorily. I am referring to the thousands of acres at Camp Pendleton which are used largely for training and maneuver. Even a large national cemetery would not take more than a very small area and would not conflict with training requirements at the Camp. |