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A Final Tribute
On May 30, 1985, Gov. Thomas H. Kean dedicated New Jersey's
first state-operated veterans cemetery as "a lasting memorial
to those men and women who put their lives on the line to defend
out country's honor and freedom." On January 3, 1989, the
cemetery was named for the principal guiding force behind its
development: U.S Army Brigadier General William C. Doyle.
The facility was funded jointly by the state and federal governments
and is managed by the Department of Military and Veteran's Affairs.
It is pen to the eligible N.J. veterans' residents who are members
of the armed Forces or reserve units on active duty at the time
of death; certain dependents; and certain merchant marines and
civilians who have been awarded veteran's status. Rules and eligibility
requirements were established within the guidelines of the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Washington, D.C.
The cemetery is located in Arneytown, North Hanover Township,
Burlington County on Provinceline Road, which intersects Route
664 to the north of the cemetery and routes 537 and 528 to the
south. Its central location, 15 mils southeast of Trenton, makes
it easily accessible from the N.J. Turnpike, the Garden State
Parkway and Interstates 195 and 295.
The cemetery is a contemporary memorial type with all grave
markers flush with ground level. It covers 225 acres and was designed
to accommodate 154,000 veterans and their family members.
To provide privacy and protection from the elements bereaved,
a chapel is provided for committal ceremonies. The United States
and New Jersey state flags are flown in the front court of the
chapel in tribute to all veterans buried in the cemetery.
Professional, compassionate service to the bereaved is the concern
of the experienced staff who are ready to provide assistance and
comfort to the family in their time of need.
There is no finer tribute or more appropriate final resting place
for New Jersey's valiant heroes than a cemetery dedicated to them.
Facilities
Facilities include a chapel/administration building, a maintenance
complex and designated memorial sections for the interment of
cremated remains and veterans whose remains have never been recovered.
The most prominent feature on the cemetery site is the modern,
non-denominational chapel/administration building. Built atop
a 50-foot-high hill just off to the right of the main entrance,
it overlooks the final facility. Set on a circular plaza, its
location on the wooded hilltop permits the isolation of committal
service operations from other visitations. Ample parking is available.
The walls of the chapel are adorned with five beautiful stained
glass windows. One honors servicemen and women in the major branches
of the Armed Forces, while another pays tribute to the four chaplains
who died aboard the S.S. Dorchester during World War II.
Adjacent to the chapel is a courtyard where U.S. flag, the New
Jersey state flag and the POW/MIA flag are flown and where outdoor
committal services may be held.
Public rest rooms are located at the base of the hill to the
left pf the main entrance where they may accommodate cemetery
visitors and corteges arriving for and leaving committal services.
The cemetery office is open Monday though Friday from 8:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Grounds and open until dusk 7 days a week.
Requirements
Eligible veterans are those whose last active service ended
under other than dishonorable or undesirable conditions. Also
eligible are members of the U.S. Armed forces (Army, Marines,
Navy, Air Forces or Coast Guard) who die while on active duty;
any member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces (Army, National
Guard, Air National Guard or the Reserve Officers Training Corps
of the Army, Navy and Air Force) who dies under honorable conditions
while on active duty for training or performing full-time service;
any member of a reserve component who has attained 20 years of
service credible for retired pay; certain World War II Merchant
Marines and others who have attained veteran status.
The veteran or service member must have established legal residence
in New Jersey prior to death or have been a legal resident of
the state for at least 50 percent of his or her lifetime.
Eligible dependents include the veteran's spouse, unmarried children
under the age of 21 and unmarried adult children who became incapable
of self-support before reaching the age of 21 because of mental
or physical impairment.
Requests for the burial in the cemetery may be made at the time
of death through any funeral director. The request should be accompanied
by proof of the veteran's honorable military service and legal
residence in New Jersey. The funeral director will then contact
the cemetery.
Requests for internment of cremated remains may be made by the
family directly to the cemetery.
Although the cemetery will assist in every way possible, establishing
eligibility is the responsibility of those requesting the burial
and must be established before burial is permitted.
Proof of honorable service would be the veteran's separation
or discharge papers (DD214). Proof for a reservist would be a
valid letter of "Notification of the Eligibility for retired
pay at age sixty" provided by the Reserve Component Command.
Evidence of legal residence may include:
- a. driver's license or phone bills;
- b. records of personal and/or property tax payments
- c. a continuous voting record
- d. any other substantial evidence that establishes the required
residence.
After eligibility is confirmed by the cemetery, the funeral director
must bring to the cemetery, on the day of interment, the documentary
evidence used to prove the veteran's eligibility. If the person
making the arrangements lacks the necessary documentation proving
honorable service or residency, the funeral director should contact
the chief executive officer proof the cemetery immediately for
assistance.
Burial Entitlements
Veteran's burial entitlements include a plot for the veteran,
spouse, and eligible dependents; a grave liner; interment service;
use of the chapel; a U.S. bronze grave marker on a granite base;
and maintenance in perpetuity, all at no charge to veteran or
the veteran's family.
Reserve component members, their spouses and eligible dependents
will be charged a minimal fee for each interment to cover operational
costs, because the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does not
provide Plot Interment Allowance for reservists.
The spouse and/or dependents of a veteran may be interred should
they predecease the veteran, with stipulation and understanding
that, upon his or her own death, the veteran will be interred
with spouse or dependent.
Reservations & Burials
It is not necessary to make reservations for burial prior
to death, however, veterans may reregister their intention to
be buried at the cemetery at any of the department's veteran's
service offices. For the nearest office contact the cemetery.
Burials are scheduled only on regular state working days, Monday
though Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Committal services may be
held in the memorial chapel. The immediate family may be escorted
to the grave site, it they for request.
Military Honors
Full military honors may be arranged for:
a. Medal of Honor recipients;
b. A service member who dies while on active duty;
c. Retired military personnel;
d. A member of the Ready Reserve forces or a member of
the Reserves who has 20 years of satisfactory service and has
not reached the age of 60.
For honorably discharge veterans, service is limited to a military
representative who will represent the veteran's service branch
at the funeral and present the flag to the designated recipient.
Military honors are arranged for by the funeral director.
Graves & Grave Markers
All graves are uniform in size and assigned in order of burial
requests received. Although the state furnishes grave space, it
will continue to hold title to all land in the cemetery. Grave
markers are of the flat type provided at no cost by the U.S. Department
of the Veterans Affairs. The cemetery will order the marker.
Plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects and any other
type of commemorative items are not permitted on the graves. Cut
flowers may be placed on graves at nay time' artificial flowers
during certain time periods. Metal temporary flower containers
are supplied by the cemetery. Cemetery personnel decorate graves
with small flags on Memorial Day.
Inscription of Grave Markers
The U.S. Veterans grave marker will be inscribed with the
name of the veteran, rate or rank, branch of service, war periods
(if applicable), dates of birth and death, certain military awards,
and religious emblem (if desired). The emblems, of which there
are now 29, represent the majority of churches with special emblems
within the U.S. and were provided to the Department of Veterans
Affairs by the leaders of each church and/of denomination.
If the veteran's spouse or eligible dependents should predecease
the veteran, a marker will be furnished by the VA with the respective
name inscribed upon it.
Brigadier General William C. Doyle
Veterans Memorial Cemetery
350 Provinceline Road
Wrightstown, N.J. 08562
(609) 758-7250
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