WRIGHTSTOWN, NJ - The BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in Wrightstown, has not been designated the newest National Cemetery, despite current rumors to the contrary.  Neither the State of New Jersey nor the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have requested such a change. There are no plans current nor long-term to convert the BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery to a National Cemetery.

The General Doyle Cemetery is the busiest cemetery in the state veterans cemetery system and ranks 12th among all state and national veterans cemeteries.  More than 12 veterans are buried daily at the cemetery. Since its opening, more than 23,000 veterans or their eligible family members have been interred.  The cemetery has more than 100,000 plots remaining and will remain in full operation for 30 more years.

In 1981 when space in most national cemeteries was limited and both federal cemeteries in New Jersey were closed to new interments, 234 acres near Arneytown were set aside as a cemetery site for New Jersey’s veterans. The Veterans Cemetery was built with financial assistance from the VA under their State Cemetery Grants Program. Established in 1978, this program assists in providing gravesites for veterans where VA’s national cemeteries cannot fully satisfy their burial needs. The administration, operation and maintenance of a VA-supported state cemetery remain solely the responsibility of the state. There are currently 42 other state cemeteries in 22 states and Guam.  

The grants have also been used for expanding and improving the BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery.  November 1, 2001, a ground breaking ceremony was held at the cemetery to begin a $35 million dollar expansion and improvement program for the Veterans Cemetery.  The VA State Cemetery Grants Program is funding 100 percent of the costs of this project.  The five-acre section will hold more than 9,200 crypts. The in-ground crypts will be more than double the capacity of the remaining burial sections and facilitate burials during periods of inclement weather and during the winter months.

The VA also pays the BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery a plot interment allowance of $150 for the burial of eligible veterans because the burial is performed at no cost to the veteran's next-of-kin.  “This allowance is only for war-time veterans, it does not cover the peace-time veterans, spouses and dependant children,” said Cemetery CEO Wayne Ellis.  “We provide burial service to all honorably discharged veterans and their spouses and dependant children at no cost to their families.”