Our Town Revisited: Delaware Veteran’s Memorial Cemetary

MILLSBORO, De. – We’re taking our trip down memory lane, or shall I say remembrance lane. veterans who lived downstate in Delaware were given their own cemetery in Millsboro.

Veteran’s Cemetary 1999

Former anchor and reporter Kelley Rouse took us to that beautiful resting place. The first man to be buried at the cemetery was Major Robert Harris, a veteran of the war of 1812. His grave was moved from the woods where for years it had been forgotten.

Bob Rich is a Vietnam veteran and reflects how their homecoming was very different from that of the gulf war vets. “People down here been deserving a cemetery here for years because the older they get it’s harder for them to travel to the Bear Cemetery, which is approximately 88 miles from here…You just come to really appreciate what the world means and what your veterans mean to you. And we need more of that. And we’re here to honor our veterans…I always say you can’t hold a grudge. It’s in the past. We have to let it die. And just all come together as one.”

Veteran’s Cemetary 2025

25 years later, we had the chance to speak with a gentleman who started only a month after our initial visit and had a lot to share about how our veterans are currently being honored.

Retired Air Force staff Sergeant Greg Bee spent 20 years in the military before making his way to the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro Delaware. “I’ve been listening to Taps being played for 25 years, I can’t tell you how many thousands of services that I’ve been to here and at the other cemetery, but it still gets my attention.”

Honoring Heros

They opened October 15, 1999, and he started in November as a grave digger. he is currently the Cemetery Superintendent, and as an employee for almost 26 years, he’s seen some changes. “We were really slow paced in 99′ and 2000 because we just opened. A lot of people didn’t know, a lot of veterans didn’t know this facility was here…. Back in those days, we were probably doing 15- 20 burials a month, and now we do 30-40… We didn’t even have grass out here when you came last time, it was still dirt.”

Markers represent each branch; Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force formerly known as Space Command. As the population has increased, they did too. “It’s actually 65 acres, and we have room for over 100,000 veterans. we’ve got 40 acres were not even using yet… We have 2 full time grounds personnel, we have 3 part-time grounds personnel, we have a mechanic and a supervisor- grounds foreman, and then me and the 2 admin guys. There’s 10 of us right now, and back then there were probably only 5.”

Buring Brothers

Though services have increased, it’s not a free-for-all. “Back in 1999 we probably only did 150 in that year, we did 420 last year… You could be buried right next to a general or a private. There are no choices here. The choice is a military instillation. The choice is you get buried- or you don’t get buried… If we have like 2 brothers that were in the military together, and they request to be side by side, we’ll make that exception if we can.”

Religions are honored with symbols- like Christianity, Russian Orthodox, Buddhism, Judaism, or nothing at all. Families can purchase leaves or bricks, and Sgt. Bee says sign up is simple. “Get it taken care of so your family doesn’t have to worry about it. You get pre-approved; we put you in the computer. Once you’re in, you’re never out. and when something happens, you make one phone call to a funeral director.”

Caring for Comadres

He says veterans should be treated better in life, but he’s proud to do his part and honor them in death. “There’s a lot of things that happen to veterans that people don’t understand. Other veterans understand because they live it and they’ve walked the same ground. Some civilians don’t understand, I have people in my family that don’t understand… My wife and I are both veterans, and the veterans should have their own cemetery. We’re here with our comrades.”

He says he’ll be here for a long time- in this life, and the next. The Cemetery takes donations via mail or drop- off, or if you’re interested in getting a memorial stone or leaf for the tree, stop on by 266-69 Patriots Way, visit their website, or just give them a call at (302) 934-5653.