Puerto Rico National Cemetery - Notable Interments

Notable Interments

The following list has the names of distinguished Puerto Ricans, and non-Puerto Rican veterans who have made Puerto Rico their home, who served in the U.S. military and are interred there.

• Domingo Arroyo, Jr., PFC, U.S. Marine Corps, The first Puerto Rican and American serviceman to be killed in Operation Restore Hope during the Somalian Civil War. Section I, Row 0, Site 111.
• Bailey K. Ashford, Colonel, U.S. Army, Spanish–American War veteran, doctor, parasitologist, author. A pioneering physician, Ashford organized and conducted a parasite treatment campaign, which cured approximately 300,000 persons (one-third of the Puerto Rico population) and reduced the death rate from this anemia by 90 percent. Section A, Site 1204.
• Carlos Betances Ramírez, Colonel, U.S. Army, was the only Puerto Rican to command a Battalion in the Korean War. Section K, Site 3030.
• Modesto Cartagena, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, served in the 65th Infantry Regiment, an all-Puerto Rican regiment also known as "The Borinqueneers", during World War II and the Korean War. He was the most decorated Puerto Rican soldier in history.
• Carlos Fernando Chardón, Major General, U.S. Army, was the Puerto Rico Adjutant General from 1969 to 1973. Chardon was also the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973
• Virgilio N. Cordero, Jr., Brigadier General, U.S. Army, who was a Battalion Commander of the 31st Infatry Regiment. He documented his experiences as a prisoner of war and his participation in the infamous Bataan Death March of World War II. Section G, Plot 3
• Juan César Cordero Dávila, Major General, U.S. Army, was the commanding officer of the 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War, rising to become one of the highest ranking ethnic officers in the United States Army. Section C, Row, Site 0.
• Efrain Figueroa-Melendez, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, was a member of Company D, 3d Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. On three occasions Staff Sergeant Figueroa-Melendez purposely drew communist volleys on himself to permit his men to draw back to protected positions. Plot: E 563.
• Fernando Luis García Ledesma, PFC, U.S. Marine Corps, first Puerto Rican awarded the Medal Of Honor. Plot: MB 0 3.
• César Luis González, First Lieutenant, U.S. Air Force, World War II, was the first pilot from Puerto Rico to fly for the US Army Air Corps and one of the first Puerto Ricans to die in combat during that conflict. He was posthumusly promoted to 1st. Lt. Plot: A 175.
• Mihiel "Mike" Gilormini, Brigadier General, U.S. Air Force, World War II hero, recipient of 5 Distinguished Flying Cross's and co-founder of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. Gilormini had previously flown for the Royal Canadian Air Force(1941) and the Royal Air Force (1941–1942). Plot: F 314.
• Gilberto José Marxuach, Colonel, U.S. Army, the son of Teofilo Marxuach, is "The Father of the San Juan Civil Defense". Plot: C 60.
• Teófilo Marxuach, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, ordered the first shot fired in World War I on behalf of the United States on an armed German supply ship trying to force its way out of the San Juan Bay. Section C, Site 59.
• Elmy L. Matta, 1st. Lieutenant, U.S. Army, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, was a member of the 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st CAV DIV. Lieutenant Matta was killed while personally leading an assault of his company against the enemy in the face of intense small arms and automatic weapons fire. Plot: A 0 41.
• José Antonio Muñiz, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Air Force, together with then-Colonels Alberto A. Nido and Mihiel Gilormini he founded the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. In 1963, the Air National Guard Base, at the San Juan International airport in Puerto Rico, was renamed "Muñiz Air National Guard Base" in his honor. Plot: E, Row 0, Site 312.
• Alberto A. Nido, Brigadier General, U.S. Air Force, World War II hero who co-founded the Puerto Rico Air National Guard and served as its commander for many years. Plot: J 9.
• Belisario Noriega, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, served with the 65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. He led his men through the hostile ranks of the enemy to the safety of the main line of resistance. Plot: E 582.
• Ramón Núñez-Juárez, PFC, U.S. Marine Corps, was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, second highest military award of the United States of America after the Medal of Honor. He was the only Puerto Rican member of the United States Marine Corps whose remains have never been recovered and who was listed as Missing in Action during the Korean War. Plot: MB, Row 0, Site 2.
• Members of the Otero family:
  • Joseph Otero, Sargeant, U.S. Army, murdered by serial killer Dennis Rader
  • Julie Otero, wife of Joseph Otero, murdered by serial killer Dennis Rader
  • Josephine Otero, daughter of Joseph and Julie Otero, murdered by serial killer Dennis Rader
  • Joseph Otero II, son of Joseph and Julie Otero, murdered by serial killer Dennis Rader
• SP5 Diana Beatriz Padro, died in The Pentagon during the September 11, 2001 attacks.
• Agustín Ramos Calero, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, with 22 military decorations Ramos Calero was the most decorated Hispanic soldier in all of the United States during World War II. Plot: J 2116.
• Lizbeth Robles, SPC, U.S. Army, first Puerto Rican female soldier born in Puerto Rico to die in Iraq. Section A, Row 0, Site 1333.
• Antonio Rodríguez Balinas, Brigadier General, U.S. Army, the first commander of the Office of the First U.S. Army Deputy Command.
• Eurípides Rubio, Captain, U.S. Army, Medal of Honor recipient for action in the Vietnam War. Section HSA, Site 5.
• John Ernest Sayle, British Merchant Marine crewmember killed during World War II; one of two gravesites of British Commonwealth soldiers buried in Puerto Rico administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
• Antulio Segarra, Colonel, U.S. Army, In 1943, Segarra became the first Puerto Rican Regular Army officer to command a Regular Army Regiment when he assumed the command of Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment which at the time was conducting security missions in the jungles of Panama. Plot: A, Row 0, Site 353.
• Frances M. Vega, SPC, U.S. Army, first Puerto Rican female soldier born in the U.S. to die in a war. Section L, Row 0, Site 7.
• Captain Elwood Palmes Walmsley, Royal Air Force pilot killed during World War II; one of two gravesites of British Commonwealth soldiers buried in Puerto Rico administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.