The Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery became the sixth such facility in the state of Texas and at the time was the 118th in the United States. The other national cemeteries in Texas are San Antonio National Cemetery, Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Fort Bliss National Cemetery, Kerrville National Cemetery and Houston National Cemetery.
It took many years to organize the cemetery in response to area residents. An early mention of the facility was made in the publication Duncanville Today on May 21, 1988 at a Memorial Day ceremony at Dallas Baptist University. DBU vice president of development was quoted as saying, “The purpose of this special Memorial Day Service is to honor American veterans, give thanks to God for our blessings and protection and to express appreciation for the new Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery now under construction adjacent to DBU.” The article continued to state that groundbreaking had occurred the previous November 10 sponsored by the Texas National Cemetery Foundation, chaired by Clyde Pinson. The cemetery was to be built on 638 acres of land located east of Mountain Creek Lake and north of West Kiest Boulevard, next to Spur 408 noting that Phase I was set to open in 1999.
The first interments occurred in May, 2000. Eligibility for burial is as follows:
Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
A Veteran’s spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial. Eligible spouses and children may be buried even if they predecease the Veteran.
Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or who die while on training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial.
Administration is under the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Association. Recent estimates are that more than 1.5 million veterans live in the state of Texas. When fully developed the facility can accommodate more than 280,000 veterans and dependents, including casketed sites and above ground columbaria. At present about one fourth of the total acreage has been developed.
