Cemetery restoration becomes law
Senate overrides President Trump’s veto
The new year has already been a positive one for the Mare Island Naval Cemetery.
On Friday, U. S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D- St. Helena, announced that his legislation to repair and maintain the Mare Island Naval Cemetery in Vallejo has officially become law.
The bill, included in the National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA), is a longtime priority of Thompson’s and would take care of the local historic site for generations. The NDAA became law after the Senate overrode President Trump’s veto.
“Today, I’m honored to celebrate an exceptional win for our district,” Thompson said in a statement. “The Mare Island Naval Cemetery is a historic place, the final resting place for hundreds of our nation’s service members. Sadly, it’s fallen into disrepair over the years. I authored this legislation to
ensure the cemetery is restored and maintained as a proper burial ground of our veterans. Thank you to Senator (Dianne) Feinstein who authored the Senate companion bill. Today it becomes law and we can restore this space to its rightful beauty, both for those buried there and the veterans who want to visit.”
Veteran and longtime military activist Nestor A liga watched the announcement on television and was thrilled.
“I was very relieved,” A liga sa id. “It ’ s been around three and half years since we star ted this effort and there have been a lot of obstacles, especially from the Veteran Affairs ( VA) Committee, which to me was a paradox when you think of their motto ( To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan). Yet they specifically seemed to be forgetting about the veterans of Vallejo. They deserve as much respect as anyone.”
The Fiscal Year 21 National Defense Authorization Act includes Section 9107, a provision that starts the one- to two-year process to transfer the Mare Island Naval Cemetery.
It is the oldest naval cemeter y on the West Coast and has been desig nated as a National Histor ic Landmark. It has three Congressional Medal of Honor recipients — James Cooney, Alexander Parker and William Halford.
In December, Thompson announced that his legislation to repair and maintain the Mare Island Naval Cemeter y had been included in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act ( NDA A) Conference Report.
Thompson first introduced the bill called H.R. 5588 in April of 2018. The bill said the cemeter y would specifically be placed under the purview of the National Cemetery Administration. The VA would pay no fee to acquire the land, but would assume the obligation of maintaining the cemetery in the future.
The Mare Island Naval Cemeter y has gone through a major restoration. Many trees that used to surround the cemetery have been removed, as well as a portion of the white picket fence that surrounded it, although portions of the fence will be but back after the drainage system is repaired. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, repairs for the cemetery have been slowed down.
In September of this year, the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training ( IRT) Program resumed construction at the Mare Island Preserve and Naval Cemetery. The IRT project includes grading, installation of drainage systems, minor restoration of burial sites, and fence repair throughout the area.
On Veteran’s Day of 2020, many people attending the ceremony there mar veled at how much progress has been made on historic site, including Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
But it wasn’t always that way. In March 2017, retired U. S. Navy Captain Ralph Parrott of Virginia visited the cemetery and was appalled at its dilapidated condition. Capt. Parrott and Dep. Asst. Secretary of the Navy Karnig Ohannessian assisted the City of Vallejo in applying for the Department of Defense Innovative Readiness
Training.
On Friday, Parrott made a statement on the passing of the law.
“This action is very good news for the future of the Mare Island Naval Cemetery,” Parrott said. “For the past three years a small group of older veterans located in California and in the Washington DC area have been working in conjunction with Congressman Mike Thompson, Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of the Navy to secure the future maintenance, restoration and preservation of this historic military burial ground.
“The petition effort garnered almost 60,000 signatures and provided the much needed public awareness, especially among the veteran community, to support the IRT and legislative efforts,” Parrott continued. “The IRT project was approved for 2020 and the 801st Army Reserve Engineer Company based in Vallejo was assigned the duty. Their outstanding work has resulted in a complete transformation of the cemetery from a disgrace to a place of honor that culminated in a moving rededication ceremony on Veterans Day in November … With the successful override of the President’s veto this provision becomes law and the future of the Mare Island Naval Cemetery is secured.”
Aliga gave thanks to many people, including www.VallejoVetsBuilding. org veterans, the 55,000 that signed a Change. org petition, http://chn. ge/2BUHBjI, the unwavering support of The American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
“I would like to again thank Rep. Mike Thompson and Sen. Dianne Feinstein for all their legislation since 2018 as well as the Vallejo City Council and Mayor Bob Sampayan and City Manager Greg Nyhoff, the Solano Board of Supervisors, State Senator Bill Dodd and Assembly man Tim Grayson,” Aliga said. I thank them for fighting for the nearly 1,000 Veterans and their family members buried at MINC so that they are properly honored in a national shrine just like all our Veterans buried in U. S.- owned cemeteries in America and around the world.”