GENERAL INFORMATION

The mailing address for the cemetery is:
Bay Pines National Cemetery
P.O. Box 477
Bay Pines, FL 33504-0477

Military Funeral Honors
Bay Pines National Cemetery maintains a list of Veterans Service Organization units that may be contacted to arrange a military honor group in addition to or in lieu of the Department of Defense Military Funeral Honors. Please contact the office for information.
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HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Bay Pines National Cemetery is located on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Center (VAC) in Pinellas County, about 9 miles west-northwest of St. Petersburg, Fla.

On March 15, 1933, the cemetery was dedicated and officially opened as a burial ground for those who died in the Bay Pines hospital and domiciliary. The 21-acre site was laid out in 42 symmetrical sections. The first interment was made on April 25, 1933, and by January 1964, all available gravesites had been used. In 1984, in order to gain more grave space, the hedges that divided the center of the cemetery were removed and the space between the sections was utilized.

The cemetery was transferred from Veterans Administration to the National Cemetery System on May 28, 1984, and reopened for interments on July 2, 1984.

Monuments and Memorials
A large monument constructed of pink Etowah marble in 1937 is dedicated to “the memory of those who served their country” and stands at the entrance to the cemetery grounds.

A polished granite bench, dedicated to the memory of World War I veterans, sits opposite the cemetery entrance, facing the new POW/MIA monument.

A maple tree planted in Section 53 in 1976 commemorates the country’s bicentennial.
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NOTABLE BURIALS

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FLORAL/GROUNDS REGULATIONS

Cemetery policies are conspicuously posted and readily visible to the public.

Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial will be placed on the completed grave. Natural cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time of the year. They will be removed when they become unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.

Artificial flowers and potted plants will be permitted on graves during periods when their presence will not interfere with grounds maintenance. As a general rule, artificial flowers and potted plants will be allowed on graves only during the period 10 days before through 10 days after Easter Sunday, Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Christmas wreaths, grave blankets and other seasonal adornments may be placed on graves from Dec. 1 through Jan. 20. They may not be secured to headstones or markers.

Permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects and similar items are not permitted on the graves. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not permit adornments that are considered offensive, inconsistent with the dignity of the cemetery or considered hazardous to cemetery personnel. Items incorporating beads or wires, for example, may become entangled in mowers or other equipment and cause injury.

Permanent items removed from graves will be placed in an inconspicuous holding area for one month prior to disposal. Decorative items removed from graves remain the property of the donor but are under the custodianship of the cemetery. If not retrieved by the donor, they are then governed by the rules for disposal of federal property.
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