An American cemetery in Pampanga, run by the American Battle Monuments Commission since 2013, that still accepts burials of eligible U.S. veterans. Manila American Cemetery is closed to new burials.
Also called: Clark, Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Pampanga, ABMC, American Battle Monuments Commission, Manila American Cemetery, burial abroad, P.L. 112-260.
Clark Veterans Cemetery sits on Manuel A. Roxas Highway just inside the main gate of the Clark Freeport Zone, north of Angeles City in Pampanga. It began in 1948 as the base cemetery for Clark, consolidating burials from earlier U.S. post cemeteries in the Philippines, fell into disrepair after the Mount Pinatubo eruption of 1991, and was kept up by VFW Post 2485 until the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act (Public Law 112-260), signed in January 2013, directed the American Battle Monuments Commission to operate it. The agreement with the Philippine government was signed in December 2013. ABMC lists 9,060 burials.
It is one of only two ABMC cemeteries open to new burials. ABMC's own answer is that its World War I and World War II cemeteries are closed to burials except for recovered or newly identified war dead, and that Clark Veterans Cemetery and Corozal American Cemetery in Panama are the only two still open to new burials of qualified veterans. That includes Manila American Cemetery in Taguig, which holds American and Philippine war dead of World War II and is closed.
What ABMC publishes about eligibility is short: to qualify, the family presents the veteran's honorable discharge or retirement papers along with other required government documents. ABMC says it prepares the grave and requests the headstone from VA; Clark uses upright marble headstones with the VA-approved emblem of belief the family chooses, rather than ABMC's usual war-cemetery markers. ABMC expects the cemetery to reach capacity in about 80 years. ABMC does not publish online whether spouses and dependents may be buried there or whether there is any charge; ask the cemetery directly before relying on either.
The cemetery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including Philippine holidays, except December 25 and January 1, with free admission. ABMC's brochure gives the contact as [email protected] and +63 45 499 1537.
VA burial benefits are separate. A VA burial allowance and a government headstone follow the ordinary federal rules, and the half-rate rules for Commonwealth Army, guerrilla and New Philippine Scout service are in their own entry.
Thresholds
Thresholds for Clark Veterans Cemetery
Gate
Rule
No rating requirement
Burial at Clark turns on discharge or retirement papers, not on a disability rating.
Honorable discharge or retirement papers
ABMC says the family must present the veteran's honorable discharge or retirement papers and other required government documents. It publishes no fuller rule online, so confirm eligibility for spouses and for any other discharge with the cemetery.
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Disclaimer
VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.