WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today dedicated a new 269-acre national cemetery in Corfu, New York, 20 miles east of Buffalo — to provide for the first time — a nearby VA burial option for an estimated 77,100 Veterans and their eligible family members.
VA Secretary Robert Wilkie along with Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves, New York Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Representative Chris Jacobs unveiled the dedication plaque for Western New York National Cemetery.
“Our nation owes a debt to our Veterans who served and sacrificed so that we all could enjoy the blessings of liberty,” said Wilkie. “It is a tremendous honor for me, on behalf of VA, to provide the Veterans of the Buffalo area with access to burial and memorial benefits they have earned.”
Construction of the initial phase of the cemetery is ongoing, with first interments expected to occur before the end of this year.
With the addition of Western New York, the state currently has six open VA national cemeteries, including: Woodlawn in Elmira, Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga in Schuylerville, Calverton in Calverton, Bath in Bath and Long Island in Farmingdale, while Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn is closed to new interments.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dedication ceremony was closed to the public and attendance was limited in accordance with federal, CDC, state and local guidelines and mandates. Photos and video of the dedication can be found on the National Cemetery Administration’s Facebook site.
For more information contact Western New York National Cemetery Director
James Metcalfe II at 717-639-4644. Visit VA’s National Cemetery Administration or call 800-535-1117 for information on VA burial benefits or to apply for burial benefits in advance of need.
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