U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery

Who chose this serene hill overlooking the Severn River as their final resting place? Here at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery, the stories of over 6,000 souls intertwine with the history of the US Navy. Established in 1868 on land once known as Strawberry Hill, the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery is more than just a burial ground. It’s a living testament to courage, duty, and sacrifice. The cemetery became part of the Naval Academy grounds shortly after the Civil War, during a period of expansion. It quickly became the final resting place for some of the Navy’s most distinguished figures. Here lies Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, the highest-ranking officer buried at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and the only five-star admiral interred here. Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, the Navy’s longest-serving Chief of Naval Operations, also rests here, his monument uniquely engraved with a depiction of the USS Arleigh Burke DDG-51. The U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery is also the final resting place of eleven superintendents of the Naval Academy. Among them is Rear Admiral Draper Laurence Kauffman, the 44th Superintendent who organized the first U.S. Navy Demolition Teams, the predecessors to today’s Navy SEALs. Wander through the rows of headstones and you’ll find Bandmaster Charles A. Zimmerman, composer of the iconic “Anchors Aweigh.” Originally buried elsewhere, he was later reinterred at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery under a cross dedicated by his midshipmen. Here too lies Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale, a Medal of Honor recipient and graduate of the class of 1947. Shot down over North Vietnam, he endured years as a POW in the Hanoi Hilton, his resilience and courage a testament to the spirit of the Navy. The U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery is also the final resting place of Senator John McCain, a captain and fellow POW with Stockdale in the Hanoi Hilton. McCain’s service to his country extended beyond his military career, into the realm of public service as a representative and later a senator for Arizona. The Jeannette Monument, a striking memorial with an ice-covered marble cross, commemorates the men lost in the harrowing Jeannette Arctic Expedition of 1879-1891. The U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery is not just a place of mourning, but a place of remembrance. It’s a place where history whispers from the stones, reminding us of the sacrifices made by those who served.