Illinois home to 10 national cemeteries First designated in 1862

By Tom Emery

Memorial Day is a time of remembrance and reflection on those veterans who served our nation and were lost. Some honor those who gave their lives by spending part of the day in national cemeteries, a solemn reminder of the legacy of the American military.

There are 10 national cemeteries in Illinois, where thousands of former military men and women rest in well-maintained grounds. Such cemeteries are found across the state, from out-of-the-way corners of existing graveyards to sprawling burial sites where thousands of deceased veterans now lay.

National cemeteries were developed d...