Indiantown Gap National Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Indiantown Gap National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Union Township
, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
. It occupies approximately 677 acres (2.7 km²), and is site to 26,323 interments, as of the end of 2005.
communities that resided the region. Starting in the 1930s, it became a training area for the United States Army
and control of the facility was turned over to the Pennsylvania National Guard
in 1998. In 1975 it also served as a refugee camp for southeast Asian refugees. For eight months, more than 22,000 Vietnamese
and Cambodia
n refugees were resettled through the facility.
Indiantown Gap derives its name from the various Native American communities that resided the region. Starting in the 1930s, it became a training area for the United States Army and control of the facility was turned over to the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1998. In 1975 it also served as a refugee camp for southeast Asian refugees. For eight months, more than 22,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees were resettled through the facility.
In 1976, a section of Fort Indiantown Gap was selected as the national cemetery for the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania donated land for the site to the US Veterans Administration (now known as the United States Department of Veterans Affairs), specifically the branch of the VA known as the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).
Since 1976, the Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery has been administered by the NCA and is separate entity from the section of Fort Indiantown Gap assigned to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as the National Cemetery is federal property, subject to the jurisdictional laws and ordinances set by the federal government of the United States. To this end, the facility is under the legal jurisdiction of the US Department of Veterans Affairs and is patrolled, maintained and protected as a full federal asset by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police
.
Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,590 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile...
. It occupies approximately 677 acres (2.7 km²), and is site to 26,323 interments, as of the end of 2005.
History
Indiantown Gap derives its name from the various Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
communities that resided the region. Starting in the 1930s, it became a training area for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and control of the facility was turned over to the Pennsylvania National Guard
Pennsylvania National Guard
The Pennsylvania National Guard is composed of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. It is one of the largest National Guards in the nation. It has the largest Army National Guard of all the states and the fourth largest Air National Guard. These forces are...
in 1998. In 1975 it also served as a refugee camp for southeast Asian refugees. For eight months, more than 22,000 Vietnamese
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n refugees were resettled through the facility.
Indiantown Gap derives its name from the various Native American communities that resided the region. Starting in the 1930s, it became a training area for the United States Army and control of the facility was turned over to the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1998. In 1975 it also served as a refugee camp for southeast Asian refugees. For eight months, more than 22,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees were resettled through the facility.
In 1976, a section of Fort Indiantown Gap was selected as the national cemetery for the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania donated land for the site to the US Veterans Administration (now known as the United States Department of Veterans Affairs), specifically the branch of the VA known as the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).
Since 1976, the Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery has been administered by the NCA and is separate entity from the section of Fort Indiantown Gap assigned to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as the National Cemetery is federal property, subject to the jurisdictional laws and ordinances set by the federal government of the United States. To this end, the facility is under the legal jurisdiction of the US Department of Veterans Affairs and is patrolled, maintained and protected as a full federal asset by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police is the uniformed police service of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, responsible for the protection of the VA Medical Centers and other facilities operated by United States Department of Veterans Affairs and its subsidiary...
.
See also
- Fort Indiantown Gap Military ReservationFort Indiantown GapFort Indiantown Gap, also referred to as "The Gap" or "FIG", is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post primarily located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. A portion of the installation is located in eastern Dauphin County...
- Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania
- List of Pennsylvania cemeteries
- United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
- United States National Cemetery
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs PoliceUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs PoliceThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police is the uniformed police service of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, responsible for the protection of the VA Medical Centers and other facilities operated by United States Department of Veterans Affairs and its subsidiary...