“Our mission is to locate unmarked veteran’s graves, compile required documents and order Veterans Administration markers, and pay for/defray cost of the installation of the markers, for all eligible veterans, so that no veteran is forgotten.”
Every man or woman who has served in the military deserves the respect and gratitude of all Americans for their dedication to our country. The final resting places of these heroes should be marked to acknowledge their military service and sacrifice.
Currently there are many veteran graves with no indication of their military service. It is our goal to mark these graves, without expense to their families. The Veteran’s Grave Marker Project is working to ensure research is completed to locate veteran graves. Our goal is to work with all the cemeteries to mark every veteran’s grave, both now and in the future.
The Veterans Grave Marker Project aims to locate and mark the unmarked graves of veterans, ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve. This involves both applying for free government-issued headstones or markers from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and addressing any associated installation costs. If you would like to help contribute financially, go here!
The discovery process involves searching for records online at FindAGrave, Genealogy Bank, Ancestry, Fold3, Portage County court records, and multiple other sources.
When an unmarked grave is located, a veteran’s military discharge record (DD214) is requested. Once received, the necessary documentation is submitted to the Veterans Administration to request a marker.
The VA then creates a 24”x12” bronze or granite marker with the veteran’s name, birth and death date, service branch, military rank, and if served during wartime.
When the marker arrives at the designated cemetery, the Veteran’s Grave Marker Project will pay the cost of installation. In some cases there is no headstone so the military marker may be the only identification on the grave.
Through fundraisers, we are raising money to support this project. Future events will be held to continue funding until every veteran’s grave has a military marker.
Please consider visiting a local cemetery, using the FindAGrave App on your phone to upload photos and GPS for existing graves. That is the first step to mark a veteran’s grave and honor their service.
May 2, 2026
"Time Traveler" Concert Fundraiser
Kent American Legion
1945 Mogadore Rd. Kent, Ohio
