Puerto Rico National Cemetery is a United States national cemetery located in the city of Bayamón, in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It encompasses 108.2 acres (43.8 ha) of land, and at the end of 2005, had 44,722 interments. Until 2021, it was the only United States National Cemetery in Puerto Rico. A second United States National Cemetery was built in Morovis, Puerto Rico because the cemetery in Bayamón has reached its capacity.
History
The land in which the cemetery is located was under the jurisdiction of the United States Navy since 1898, when Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States as a consequence of the treaties signed which officially ended the Spanish–American War. The area was used as a machine gun firing range during World War II.
The Government of the United States decided that the site, which is located in Bayamon and is approximately 13 miles from San Juan, would be suitable for the construction of a new cemetery. The land was transferred to the stewardship of the United States Department of the Army and the private firm of Font & Montilla was contracted to build the cemetery.
The cemetery was dedicated on Veterans Day in 1949, in a ceremony attended by Luis Muñoz Marín, the Governor of Puerto Rico, and Major General Herman Feldman, the Quartermaster of the US Army. The cemetery has become a shrine to the Puerto Rican veterans who have served in the United States military and those who perished while on active duty. In 1962, the remains of those interred on all other five military cemeteries on the island were transferred there.
The Morovis National Cemetery, a second United States National Cemetery, was built in Morovis within a 247.5-acre parcel of land that can be accessed from Highway 137 at Km. 11.2. It was built to replace the existing Puerto Rico National Cemetery located in Bayamón, which would reach its capacity in 2022.[3][4] Construction was underway in 2019[5][6] with interments slated to begin in 2021.[7] The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) held a dedication ceremony for the cemetery on December 12, 2020.[8]
Notable interments
Memorial Day 2014 at Puerto Rico National Cemetery
The following list has the names of distinguished Puerto Ricans, and non-Puerto Rican veterans who have made Puerto Rico their home, who served in the US military and are interred there.
Bailey K. Ashford, Colonel, US Army. Spanish–American War veteran, doctor, parasitologist, author. A pioneering physician, Ashford organized and conducted a parasite treatment campaign, which cured approximately 300,000 persons (one-third of the Puerto Rico population) and reduced the death rate from this anemia by 90 percent.
Carlos Betances Ramírez, Colonel, US Army. Betances Ramírez was the only Puerto Rican to command a Battalion in the Korean War. Section K, Site 3030.[11]
Modesto Cartagena, Sergeant First Class, US Army. Served in the 65th Infantry Regiment, an all-Puerto Rican regiment also known as "The Borinqueneers", during World War II and the Korean War. He was the most decorated Puerto Rican soldier in history.[12]
Virgilio N. Cordero, Jr., Brigadier General, US Army. Battalion Commander of the 31st Infantry Regiment. He documented his experiences as a prisoner of war and his participation in the infamous Bataan Death March of World War II.[14]
Efrain Figueroa-Melendez, Staff Sergeant, US Army. Figueroa-Melendez, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, was a member of Company D, 3d Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. On three occasions Staff Sergeant Figueroa-Melendez purposely drew communist volleys on himself to permit his men to draw back to protected positions. Plot: E 563.[16]
César Luis González, First Lieutenant, US Air Force. During World War II, González became the first pilot from Puerto Rico to fly for the US Army Air Corps and one of the first Puerto Ricans to die in combat during that conflict. He was posthumously promoted to 1st. Lt.[17]
Mihiel "Mike" Gilormini, Brigadier General, US Air Force. A World War II hero, was the recipient of 5 Distinguished Flying Cross's and co-founder of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. Gilormini had previously flown for the Royal Canadian Air Force (1941) and the Royal Air Force (1941–1942).[18]
Gilberto José Marxuach, Colonel, US Army. Son of Teofilo Marxuach. He is known as "The Father of the San Juan Civil Defense". Plot: C 60.[19]
Teófilo Marxuach, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army. Ordered the first shot fired in World War I on behalf of the United States on an armed German supply ship trying to force its way out of the San Juan Bay.[11]
Elmy L. Matta, 1st. Lieutenant, US Army. Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, as member of the 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st CAV DIV. Lieutenant Matta was killed while personally leading an assault of his company against the enemy in the face of intense small arms and automatic weapons fire.[19]
José Antonio Muñiz, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army Air Force. Muñiz, together with then-Colonels Alberto A. Nido and Mihiel Gilormini, founded the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. In 1963, the Air National Guard Base, at the San Juan International airport in Puerto Rico, was renamed "Muñiz Air National Guard Base" in his honor.[20]
Alberto A. Nido, Brigadier General, US Air Force. World War II hero who co-founded the Puerto Rico Air National Guard and served as its commander for many years.[21]
Belisario Noriega, Master Sergeant, US Army. Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, served with the 65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. He led his men through the hostile ranks of the enemy to the safety of the main line of resistance.[21]
Agustín Ramos Calero, Sergeant First Class, US Army. Ramos Calero, with 22 military decorations, was the most decorated Hispanic soldier in all of the United States during World War II.[22]
Augusto Rodríguez, Lieutenant, United States Union Army. Rodríguez served in the American Civil War in the defenses of Washington, D.C., and led his men in the Battles of Fredericksburg and Wyse Fork.[24]
Lizbeth Robles, SPC, US Army. First Puerto Rican female soldier born in Puerto Rico to die in Iraq.[25]
Antonio Rodríguez Balinas, Brigadier General, US Army. Rodríguez Balinas was the first commander of the Office of the First US Army Deputy Command.[26]
Antulio Segarra, Colonel, US Army. In 1943, Segarra became the first Puerto Rican Regular Army officer to command a Regular Army Regiment when he assumed the command of Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment which at the time was conducting security missions in the jungles of Panama. Plot: A, Row 0, Site 353.[27]
Captain Elwood Palmes Walmsley, Royal Air Force pilot killed during World War II; one of three gravesites of British Commonwealth servicemen buried in Puerto Rico administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.[33]
Navigator George Federic Johnston, Royal Air Force ferry command killed during World War II; one of three gravesites of British Commonwealth servicemen buried in Puerto Rico administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.[34]
^Griffith, Frank. "Puerto Rican soldier killed in Chinook helicopter downing buried with full military honors" [1]. Associated Press, November 10, 2003.
PFC Domingo Arroyo, Jr.
Col. Bailey K. Ashford
SFC Modesto Cartagena
Maj. Gen. Juan César Cordero Dávila
PFC Fernando Luis Garcia
1st. Lt. Cesar Luis Gonzalez
Brig. Gen. Mihiel Gilormini
Col. Gilberto Marxuach
Lt. Col. Teofilo Marxuach
Lt. Col. José Antonio Muñiz
Master Sgt. Juan E. Negrón
Brig. General Alberto A. Nido
PFC Ramón Núñez-Juárez
Col. Carlos Betances Ramirez
SFC Agustín Ramos Calero
SPC Lizbeth Robles
Lt. Augusto Rodriquez
Brig. General Antonio Rodríguez Balinas
Capt. Euripides Rubio
Col. Antulo Segarra
SPC Frances M. Vega
