Band of Kern County organizations vow to mark veterans’ gravesites

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)— No “Taps.” No 21-gun salute. No headstone and no name. This is a story about the brave men and women who served and are laid to rest in unmarked graves and the mission to make sure every veteran is honored and never forgotten.

“Jim La Mar with Greenlawn Mortuaries and Cemeteries in 2020 saw a need as he walked the cemetery,” James Kincheloe of Basham Funeral Care said.

Four years later, La Mar’s vision is shared by a group of organizations that consider it their duty to serve the vets who served us by locating their unmarked headstones.

How D-Day cemetery honors Jewish soldiers

“All we know is that they do exist,” Jose Lopez, director of Kern County Veteran Services said. “We couldn’t put an exact number on it at the moment and we’re dedicating staff to make sure the work is done.”

Lopez said staff will help identify unmarked graves during this year’s flag placement at each cemetery location.

“Being a veteran myself, I understand what it means to serve,” Lopez said. “What it means to call this country my own and I personally, would hate to have to experience this myself or for my family not to know that there’s help available to them.”

There may be hundreds of unmarked veterans’ graves at Bakersfield cemeteries including the Historic Union Cemetery where the founder of Bakersfield, Colonel Thomas Baker, is memorialized.

Watch: How Americans saw video from D-Day

“It’s very important to Union Cemetery to be able to put a headstone down and put a name to the grave to someone that’s fought for our country,” Griselda Hurtado with Union Cemetery said.

Hurtado said both of her parents were buried at Union Cemetery, but they weren’t prepared. She wants to make sure the families left behind don’t experience the same pain and know they can honor their loved ones with dignity and respect for free.

Kern County World War II Veterans Memorial makes final call for names to be added

“If you know your loved one is a veteran and has an unmarked grave, let one of us know,” Hurtado said. “One of the cemeteries, let one of the funeral homes know, or even the Veteran Administration Office know that we’re there to help provide the headstone for the veteran that fought for our country.”

Greenlawn, Hillcrest, and Union Cemeteries and Basham Funeral Care along with the Kern County Veteran Services Department are participating in the effort.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.