Rock Island National Cemetery
History
The cemetery was established in 1863 as a place to inter the remains of American Civil War Union army soldiers. Its initial placement interfered with the expansion of the Arsenal's facilities, so it was moved to a location on the northern end of the island. Civil War veterans who were interred in Oakdale Cemetery in Davenport, Iowa, were later disinterred and moved to the National Cemetery. Property transfers from the Arsenal in 1926, 1936, and 1950 increased the cemetery's area. There are plans for further expansion of this cemetery including an additional pavilion, more land, and a wall for cremations near the tank track.
A second, 2-acre (0.81 ha) cemetery was established near Rock Island National Cemetery to bury Confederate prisoners of war, nearly two thousand of which would die while in captivity on the island, primarily from the harsh living conditions.
Notable interments
Medal of Honor recipients
- Private First Class Edward J. Moskala (1921–1945), United States Army Medal of Honor recipient for action in World War II
- Private First Class Frank P. Witek (1921–1944), United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient for action in World War II
Other burials
- Gene Baker (1925–1999), Major League Baseball player, coach, and scout
- Lane Evans (1951–2014), Congressman, Illinois's 17th congressional district
- Jeff Pfeffer (1888–1972), Major League Baseball player from 1911 to 1924
- Brevet Brigadier General Thomas Jackson Rodman (1816–1871), commander at the Rock Island Arsenal and developer of the Rodman gun
- Ralph Ignatowski (1926–1945), Rifleman, Battle of Iwo Jima
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-11-03.
- ^ Cemeteries – Rock Island National Cemetery – Burial & Memorials
- ^ "Gene Baker". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
- ^ Obituary (2014-11-07). "Congressman Lane Allen Evans". Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2014-11-12.
- ^ "Jeff Pfeffer". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
External links
- Rock Island National Cemetery at the U.S. Department of Veterans Administration
- Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) No. IL-3, "Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal, 0.25 mile north of southern tip of Rock Island, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL", 26 photos, 3 photo caption pages
- HALS No. IL-4, "Rock Island Confederate Cemetery, Rodman Avenue, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL", 10 photos, 2 photo caption pages
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rock Island National Cemetery
- Rock Island National Cemetery at Find a Grave