A cemetery built on the grounds of a former military site in western New York has been chosen to become the state's first official veterans' cemetery, Gov. Cuomo announced Monday.
Designating the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery as the state's official resting place for veterans means New York can apply for federal funds for its development and other costs. New York is one of the few states in the country that does not currently have an official state veterans cemetery.
“We are forever indebted to the brave New Yorkers who served our nation in uniform and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can continue to live freely and safely, and we will never forget their contributions to society,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Our promise has always been to establish a permanent monument to these heroes."
The cemetery, in Romulus, New York, is on the grounds of what was the Sampson Naval Training Station and Sampson Air Force Base, which officially closed in 2000. It currently has space for about 6,000 grave sites on 15 acres; an expansion to its full 162-acre size would allow for 80,000 grave sites.
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