WHAT: Memorial Day event commemorating the service and sacrifice of those Veterans interred and memorialized at Knoxville National Cemetery.
WHO: Keynote speaker will be Lt General, USMC, RET Lawrence Nicholson. Trail Life Troop 2717, and Recruit Trailman Evander Shepard to provide military honors.
WHEN: Monday, May 25, 2026; Ceremony at 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Knoxville National Cemetery, 939 Tyson Street NW, Knoxville, TN 37917
PARKING: Enter via Tyson Street and parking is available on side streets in front of cemetery. Guests are encouraged to arrive prepared for anticipated weather and to bring water bottles for hydration.
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance to honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in military service to our country. It is a poignant time to reflect on the sacrifices of our fallen heroes and to pay tribute to their legacy of courage, dedication, and selflessness.
This year marks the 250th birthday of America. In conjunction with this celebration, the VA National Cemetery Administration is collaborating with Carry the Load, the Travis Manion Foundation and Victory for Veterans to host events that honor and remember our nation’s Veterans. As we mark the 250th birthday of our nation’s founding, the sacrifices of these heroes remind us that liberty is never free and must be cherished and protected by every generation.
Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, the 10-acre site became a National Cemetery in 1874.
It provides the final resting place for more than 8,000 Veterans and eligible dependents.
Burial in a VA national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces and Veterans who have met minimum active-duty service requirements, as applicable by law, and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty under certain circumstances or who die while on training duty are also eligible for burial, as are service members and former service members who were eligible for retired pay at the time of their death. Spouses, minor children and, under certain conditions, dependent unmarried adult children are also eligible for burial even if they predecease the Veteran.
VA offers a new way to pay tribute to Veterans on the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) website The site, launched in 2019, contains a memorial page for each Veteran and service member interred in a VA national cemetery. The online tribute allows visitors to voice memories and appreciation for a Veteran’s service. All comments will be reviewed for appropriateness prior to being posted.
For more information, call 800-535-1117 or visit www.cem.va.gov.
