Black Hills National Cemetery

When you are planning a vacation to The Black Hills a few things are usually on the top of the list like Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, Wall Drug, and historic Deadwood. I was recently in The Black Hills and one place that wasn't top of my list but was totally worth the stop was the Black Hills National Cemetery.

The Cemetery is located three miles east of Sturgis, in the shadows of the Black Hills.

I've been to Arlington National Cemetery before, but I had no idea there was a National Cemetery in South Dakota.

One of my friends mentioned it so we stopped and it was amazing to see. The same friend said the cemetery is very beautiful to see on Memorial Day. Some family members leave their loved one's favorite beverages and even sometimes have full picnics there.

The region is home to The Lakota tribe and according to The Black Hills National Cemetery website, notable veterans buried there include. "John Bear King of South Dakota enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 18, 1943. PFC Bear King was one of eleven known Lakota Code Talkers in the Pacific Theater during World War II." and "Clarence Eugene Wolf Guts, a native of South Dakota, enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 17, 1942. He was one of eleven known Lakota Code Talkers in the Pacific Theater during World War II."

Also, "Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth, Commander of Rapid City Air Force Base (which was renamed Ellsworth Air Force Base in his honor)."

In my research, I learned that a National Cemetery isn't just for veterans, but also for their families. Spouses and children can also be buried there.