News Release

Colonial National Historical Park and U.S Coast Guard Honor Memorial Day at Yorktown National Cemetery

News Release Date: June 8, 2023

Contact: Rachele Karlovetz, 757-272-3569

Yorktown, VA – Memorial Day is a day we remember and honor those who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. military. This year, Colonial National Historical Park partnered with the U.S Coast Guard Training Center at Yorktown to place 1,596 American flags on each marked grave in the Yorktown National Cemetery. Many of those who are buried here were Union Army soldiers during the Civil War. On May 26th, forty-two active U.S Coast Guard personnel volunteered their time to pay respects to the 2,204 burials at the national cemetery; 747 of which are known persons, 1,436 are unknown, and at least 11 are African American soldiers who served as members of the U.S. Colored Troops. Yorktown National Cemetery is one of 14 national cemeteries managed by the National Park Service.

“The preservation and protection of the Yorktown National Cemetery and memorialization of those who lost their lives who are buried here are some of the most important things we do”, said Colonial National Historical Park Superintendent Jerri Marr. “The placing of flags recognizes the sacrifice these soldiers made in service to our country. We are grateful that staff and students from the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center at Yorktown were willing to share in this memorialization effort."

Colonial National Historical Park’s volunteer program offers a variety of volunteering opportunities for individuals and groups of all ages and abilities to serve alongside park employees. Open volunteer positions at the park can be found on Volunteer.gov.

Colonial National Historical Park was established in 1930 to preserve important 17th and 18th century sites that tell the story of English colonization and the struggle for American independence. Jamestown’s legacy includes representative government, but also slavery, a brutal institution that spread throughout the colonies. At Yorktown, Virginia colonists fought in the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. The 23-mile Colonial Parkway links the sites and is recognized as an “All-American road”. To learn more about the park, visit www.nps.gov/colo.