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The Santa Fe National Cemetery Kenneth Riege
The Santa Fe National Cemetery
I remember our first time visiting the Santa Fe National Cemetery; how awe struck we were by the powerful image By Kenneth Reige of the rows upon
USAF Veteran rows of white headstones. It is an honor to walk amongst the heroes that have been laid to rest there.
The first known burial in the cemetery occurred in 1868 which was prior to the formal establishment of the land as a national cemetery.
There are many notable person’s laid to rest there to include 10 Medal of Honor Recipients. On one of our visits there we made it a point to place an American Flag at each of their headstones. Also laid to rest there are several Navajo Code Talkers to include Chester Nez who was the last surviving member of the Original 29.
Each time we visit Santa Fe, we always make it a point to visit the Cemetery and to pay our respects to those who served and fought for this great country. We will always visit the final resting place of Captain Jerry Murphy, who received the Medal of Honor on 27 Oct 1953 for his actions during the Korean War. That date may sound familiar to many since it is the same date that Hershey received his medal. Hershey and Murphy were best of friends and made many trips together. The last visit to the cemetery I placed one of Hershey’s MOH Challenge Coins on Murphy’s headstone.
Headstone and final resting place of US Marine Captain Raymond G. Murphy who also received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War. The VA Hospital in Albuquerque is named in honor of Captain Murphy.
On one of our visits while looking for Murphy’s headstone we came across that of MOH Recipient Daniel Fernandez. Daniel was only 21 years old when on 18 Feb 1966 he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and his fellow soldiers by throwing himself on a live grenade. It is a great honor to visit his grave site and I always render a salute and thank him for his courage that day. There are several different memorials throughout the cemetery, but there is only one statue. The Statue of Pvt. Dennis O’Leary. There is very little known of Pvt. O’Leary other than he was a Pvt. Stationed at Ft. Wingate and was not a happy soldier. The story that is most often shared is that he went AWOL (Absent Without Leave) and several weeks later returned to his post without an explanation of his absence. He was court-martialed and sentenced to stay in the guardhouse, which he did so without complaint.
However, on 1 April 1901, Pvt. O’Leary took his own life. He left a note saying he had left a “memento” in the mountains with specific directions and to take a team of horses and wagon to get it. It is reported that the soldiers found a large, life size soldier carved out of sandstone. The soldier was wearing boots, and a cartridge belt, reclining against a tree. Behind the truck was the inscription:
Here is the Pvt. Dennis O’Leary Statue at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
“Dennis O’Leary, Pvt. Co I, 23 Infantry, died 1 April 1901, at the age of 23 years and 9 months.
The Santa Fe National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery. It encompasses ninety acres and has nearly 68,000 interments. It is administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and is one of two national cemeteries in
Beautiful view of the cemetery with the Santa Fe Mountains in the background.
Here is the entrance sign to the cemetery.
New Mexico. The other being Fort Bayard near Silver City.
One last story about the cemetery. Each time we go to pay our respects we always park at the main office and walk to those we are there to honor. We walk because those we are there to honor cannot.
Old Glory standing watch.
