Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery in Solano County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Prisoner-of-War Burials

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, April 6, 2024

1. Prisoner-of-War Burials Marker

Inscription. The burial of prisoners of war (POWs) in soldiers' and national cemeteries dates to the Civil War (1861-1865). The United States and Confederacy collectively held more than 400,000 prisoners in overcrowded camps. Mortality rates were high. Based on "customary" rules of war, the dead were interred near the camps. or in national cemeteries created during and shortly after the conflict. Care of POW dead on American soil was not an issue again until the world wars. During World War I (1917-1918), the United States held less than 6,000 enemy aliens and POWs in internment camps. During World War II (1941-1945) an estimated 425,000 POWs and enemy aliens were held in camps. Internationally accepted rules of war dictated that prisoners who died would be buried following their national customs. Unless claimed by family or country, their graves remain the responsibility of the U.S. government to this day. Twenty-three VA cemeteries contain more than a thousand enemy graves from the world wars. The remains of nine World War II POWs (eight German, one Italian) are interred in Benicia Arsenal Post National Cemetery, Section 1.

Erected by U.S.

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Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration.

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • War, World II.

Location. 38° 3.099′ N, 122° 8.519′ W. Memorial is in Benicia, California, in Solano County. It is in Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery. It can be reached from Birch Road north of Hospital Road, on the right when traveling south. The resin marker is mounted to a metal post on the walking path in the northern corner of the cemetery. Touch for map. Memorial is in this post office area: Benicia CA 94510, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area,

in Sacramento Valley,

and specifically in the Central Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

Prisoner-of-War Burials and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, April 6, 2024

2. Prisoner-of-War Burials and Marker

are within walking distance of this marker: 1849 - Benicia Arsenal – 1964 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Father Peter Augustine Anderson, OP (approx. half a mile away); In Memory of the 100th Anniversary of Saint Dominic’s Parish of Benicia (approx. half a mile away); Commandant's Home (approx. 0.6 miles away); Gen. Quandt Lane (approx. 0.6 miles away); Clock Tower (approx. 0.7 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); 1854 – Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church – 1954 (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Benicia.

Other markers no longer nearby. Benicia Barracks Site (was approx. 0.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing); Camel Barns (was approx. 0.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

More about this memorial. Inset Image:
This procession at Fort McClellan, Alabama, ca. 1944, is typical of German POW funerals held at camps during the war. National Archives and Records Administration.

Also see . . .
1. Cemetery Profile: Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery. YouTube Video

"The Benicia Arsenal and adjacent Benicia Military Cemetery stand as historic beacons of American
Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, April 6, 2024

3. Prisoner-of-War Burials and Marker
military heritage. The arsenal's pivotal role in major American conflicts, from the Civil War through World War II, is complemented by the solemn Benicia Military Cemetery. With 212 interments, the cemetery reflects a cross-section of military history, honoring individuals from different eras and walks of life, including foreign individuals and military service dogs. Its tranquil setting near San Francisco is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made for the country"

(Submitted on July 5, 2024, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.)

2. Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery. National Cemetery Administration

"Nestled in beautiful Solano County California lies the historic Benicia Army Cemetery. The Benicia Army Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in the Pacific States. It was the post cemetery for the Benicia Barracks, which from 1849 to 1857 served as the Headquarters for the U.S. Army's Pacific Division. The cemetery contains 212 interments dating from 1849 to 1958. These interments include U.S. military personnel, civilians, unknowns, foreign personnel (German and Italian POW's) and three military service dogs. The cemetery
Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, April 6, 2024

4. Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery Gate
is on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Benicia Arsenal-Benicia Barracks Historic District."

(Submitted on July 5, 2024, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.)

Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, April 6, 2024

5. Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery

Credits. This page was last revised on July 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 5, 2024, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. This page has been viewed 348 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 5, 2024, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.