to Establish Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery
Nozzolio Secures $1 Million for Development of Site, Announces Fundraising Drive
and New Website Dedicated to Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery
Efforts to create the Veterans Cemetery began seven years ago and had to overcome bureaucratic red tape and many obstacles to be established. Senator Nozzolio celebrated the groundbreaking with over six-hundred veterans and announced a $500,000 state investment that he successfully secured to develop the cemetery site.
Today’s announced funding brings the total amount of funding secured by Senator Nozzolio for the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery to $1 million.
“After many years of hard work, it is my pleasure to announce to all of our veterans in the region that the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery is a reality,” said Senator Nozzolio. “I would like to thank all of the veterans for working with me for the past seven years and going on this journey to establish a world-class Veterans’ cemetery. We overcame many obstacles and all worked together to get this accomplished,” said Senator Nozzolio.
“This day has been many years in the making and, forevermore, the cemetery will be a lasting tribute to the brave veterans who gave so much for our country,” continued Nozzolio
A new website, www.sampsonveteranscemetery.com, has been created to keep veterans and other residents updated on the newest developments at the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The website features a map of the cemetery site and history of the Sampson Naval and Air Force Base, as well as a listing of upcoming events, photo galleries, contact information and fundraising information concerning the cemetery.
Senator Nozzolio also announced the beginning of a fundraising drive to help raise money for the operation of the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Future fundraising promotions will include the selling of engraved bricks on the cemetery walkway as well as the ability to purchase memorial benches and trees at the site.
Those wishing to donate or learn more details about the fundraising drive can send an email through the Sampson cemetery website or contact Nancy Mangano at (315) 568-1063.
An engineering firm has been selected to develop a master plan for the layout of the cemetery. In the coming months, the firm will be soliciting input from local veterans’ organizations as they develop the master plan.
The site of the cemetery is owned by Seneca County as a result of legislation that Senator Nozzolio and State Assemblyman Joe Morelle sponsored that transferred the ownership of the property from New York State to the County. The cemetery will be maintained and operated by Seneca County and a not-for-profit corporation comprised of veterans.
Carmen Pascarella of the Veterans Advisory Board said, “After many years of hard work with Senator Nozzolio, I am extremely pleased that we will now have a veterans cemetery in our region that everyone can be proud of. All of our efforts have finally come to fruition.”
Chuck Lafler, Chairman of the Seneca County Board of Supervisors, said, “We are very proud to have this new Veterans Cemetery in Seneca County. We will serve as dedicated stewards to ensure the new cemetery is maintained in a way that honors the proud service of New York’s veterans. We are grateful to Senator Nozzolio for his support of Seneca County and thank him for his efforts on establishing the Sampson Veterans Cemetery.”
The creation of the cemetery for New York’s veterans has been the top priority for many veterans’ associations in the region and has been supported by the NYS Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Korean Vets, NYS Council of Veterans Organizations, as well as the Sampson WW-2 Navy Veterans.
The origin of the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery began when a group of World War II Navy Veterans, led by the late Steven Bull, and Air Force veterans contacted Senator Nozzolio to discuss establishing a world-class veterans cemetery at the site of the Sampson Naval and Air Force Base in Romulus, NY.
In his remarks today, Senator Nozzolio also honored Chief Master Sergeant Richard Etchberger, who trained at the Sampson Air Force and was awarded the distinguished Air Force Cross posthumously for his bravery during service in the Vietnam War.
“Chief Master Sergeant Richard Etchberger is a true American hero and was trained right here at the Sampson Naval and Air Force Base like so many other heroes. Sergeant Etchberger was killed in active duty during a top-secret mission and awarded the Air Force Cross in recognition of his service. This cemetery is established on behalf of all the brave individuals who have given so much for our country.”
The site of the proposed cemetery, the Sampson United States Naval and Air Force Base, served as a naval training station during World War II and was later used as an Air Force Basic Training Center. Constructed in 1942, Sampson trained over 400,000 naval recruits during its years of operation. Sailors trained at Sampson fought and participated in every major battle of World War II. During the Korean War the property was converted to the Sampson Air Force Base and over 300,000 airmen received their basic training there from 1950 until 1956. The Sampson Memorial Naval Museum and Air Force Museum are currently located at the site.
All honorably discharged veterans and their spouses will be eligible for burial at the Sampson Veterans Cemetery. The guidelines for the cemetery will be based on federal veteran cemetery standards. This will include opening and closing of the graves, perpetual upkeep and maintenance, government headstone or marker, burial flag and presidential certificate.
It is estimated there are approximately 200,000 veterans living in the Finger Lakes region.Since 2005, it has been a priority of mine to create a world class Veterans Cemetery at the former Sampson base as a place of honor where our veterans will be appropriately remembered. After years of hard work, I am extremely pleased that the Veterans’ Cemetery project will now be a reality.
With the adoption of my legislation to transfer the land to Seneca County, along with $500,000 in State funding that I have been able to secure, we will be able to establish a cemetery that will be a lasting tribute to the brave veterans that gave so much for our country.
Last July, legislation I sponsored was signed into New York State law authorizing the transfer of land at Sampson State Park to Seneca County to be used as the grounds of the cemetery. Now the Seneca County Board of Supervisors has adopted a resolution authorizing receipt of the land from New York State, the final action needed to transfer the property.
Constructed in 1942, the Sampson Naval Base trained over 400,000 naval recruits during its years of operation. Sailors trained at Sampson fought and participated in every major battle of World War II. During the Korean War the property was converted to the Sampson Air Force Base and over 300,000 airmen received their basic training there from 1950 until 1956. The Sampson Memorial Naval Museum and Air Force Museum are currently located at the site.
All honorably discharged veterans and their spouses will be eligible for burial at the proposed cemetery. The guidelines for the cemetery will be based on federal veteran cemetery standards. This will include opening and closing of the graves, perpetual upkeep and maintenance, government headstone or marker, burial flag and presidential certificate.
Now, more than ever, we recognize that the freedom we enjoy as Americans is not free, but paid for with the courage, valor and sadly, the lives of thousands of our fellow Americans. We have no greater obligation than to make sure the sacrifices of our veterans are never forgotten, and this cemetery is a tremendous symbol of our respect for them.
As plans for the Sampson veterans’ cemetery are completed on the State level, it has recently come to my attention that the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. will be displaying a Registry of Remembrances, an individual listing of Americans who contributed to the U.S. war effort. The Registry is open to any citizen who helped win the war, either as a veteran who served on the battlefield or a civilian who provided wartime assistance on the home front.
For those of you who served in WWII or who wish to honor a loved for their service, I wholeheartedly encourage contributing to the Registry of Remembrances. Registration is free and can be completed via the Internet or by mail. For more information on the Registry of Remembrances or to access the registration form, please visit www.wwiimemorial.com and click on the “WWII Registry” button on the left. The complete Registry will be accessible on site at the National World War II memorial in Washington D.C.
For further information, participants can also write to:
WWII Memorial Processing Center
P.O. Box 186
Calverton, NY 11933-0186
State Land Transferred To Seneca County
The transfer of land to Seneca County was the last remaining hurdle to be cleared before the site can be readied for use as the Sampson Veterans Cemetery. The creation of the veterans cemetery at Sampson State Park has been a priority of Senator Nozzolio and area veterans for many years.
“This is the critical last step to creating a first-class cemetery for our veterans right here in Seneca County,” said Senator Nozzolio. “This day has been many years in the making and I want to thank all of the veterans who worked with me to ensure that the Sampson Veterans Cemetery would become a reality. This cemetery will be a lasting tribute to the brave veterans who gave so much for our country.”
Due to intricate state laws concerning the transfer of state lands, Senator Nozzolio was required to sponsor legislation that was enacted into State law and consult with attorneys from the State Office of General Services before the land transfer could proceed. The legislation sponsored by Senator Nozzolio authorizing the land transfer was enacted into law last July.
The Seneca County Board of Supervisors has approved the transfer of the state land to the county and, with the transfer of the deed, the legislative process needed to locate the Sampson Veterans Cemetery is now complete .
Chuck Lafler, Chairman of the Seneca County Board of Supervisors, said, “We are very proud to have this new Veterans Cemetery in Seneca County. We will serve as dedicated stewards to ensure the new cemetery is maintained in a way that honors the proud service of New York’s veterans. We are grateful to Senator Nozzolio for his support of Seneca County and thank him for his efforts on establishing the Sampson Veterans Cemetery.”
Carmen Pascarella of the Veterans Advisory Board said, “After many years of hard work with Senator Nozzolio, I am extremely pleased that we will now have a veterans cemetery in our region that everyone can be proud of. All of our efforts have finally come to fruition.”
Senator Nozzolio has secured $500,000 in state funding for the creation of the Sampson Veterans Cemetery, which will be operated by a not-for-profit organization to be determined.
The site of the proposed cemetery, the Sampson United States Naval and Air Force Base, served as a naval training station during World War II and was later used as an Air Force Basic Training Center. Constructed in 1942, Sampson trained over 400,000 naval recruits during its years of operation. Sailors trained at Sampson fought and participated in every major battle of World War II. During the Korean War the property was converted to the Sampson Air Force Base and over 300,000 airmen received their basic training there from 1950 until 1956. The Sampson Memorial Naval Museum and Air Force Museum are currently located at the site.
All honorably discharged veterans and their spouses will be eligible for burial at the Sampson Veterans Cemetery. The guidelines for the cemetery will be based on federal veteran cemetery standards. This will include opening and closing of the graves, perpetual upkeep and maintenance, government headstone or marker, burial flag and presidential certificate.Awaits Final Approval from Seneca County Board of Supervisors;
Inmates at the Willard Drug Treatment Center to Provide Maintenance and Operations at Cemetery
“The establishment of the Sampson Veterans Cemetery is nearing the final stages of approval at the local level,” said Senator Michael Nozzolio. “With the adoption of my legislation to transfer the land to Seneca County, along with $500,000 in state funding that I have been able to secure, we will be able to establish a cemetery that will be a lasting tribute to the brave veterans that gave so much for our country.”
In July, legislation sponsored by Senator Nozzolio was signed into New York State law authorizing the transfer of land at Sampson State Park to Seneca County to be used as the grounds of the cemetery. The final action needed to transfer the property is the adoption of a resolution by the Seneca County Board of Supervisors authorizing receipt of the land from New York State.
Senator Nozzolio has secured $500,000 for the project, which will be made available as soon as final approval from Seneca County is received. Once approved by the county, a not-for-profit organization to be determined will operate the Veterans cemetery.
Senator Nozzolio also announced that he has reached an agreement with the New York State Department of Correctional Services whereby inmates at the Willard Drug Treatment Center, located in Romulus, will provide maintenance and operations of the Sampson Veterans Cemetery when it is completed.
“After describing this project with him, Commissioner Brian Fischer of the State Department of Correctional Services agreed to allow inmates at Willard to mow the lawns and maintain the property of the Veterans Cemetery. This will allow the Veterans Cemetery to be properly maintained without expense to local taxpayers,” said Nozzolio.
Commissioner Brian Fischer of the New York State Department of Correctional Services said, "I am pleased that the inmates at the Willard Drug Treatment Center will have the opportunity to maintain the Sampson Veterans Cemetery, thereby giving back something to society. For the Department of Correctional Services to partner with Senator Nozzolio on such a noble undertaking is a win-win situation for everyone."
The site of the proposed cemetery, the Sampson United States Naval and Air Force Base, served as a naval training station during World War II and was later used as an Air Force Basic Training Center. Constructed in 1942, Sampson trained over 400,000 naval recruits during its years of operation. Sailors trained at Sampson fought and participated in every major battle of World War II. During the Korean War the property was converted to the Sampson Air Force Base and over 300,000 airmen received their basic training there from 1950 until 1956. The Sampson Memorial Naval Museum and Air Force Museum are currently located at the site.
All honorably discharged veterans and their spouses will be eligible for burial at the proposed cemetery. The guidelines for the cemetery will be based on federal veteran cemetery standards. This will include opening and closing of the graves, perpetual upkeep and maintenance, government headstone or marker, burial flag and presidential certificate.to Establish Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery
“This legislation was adopted in a bi-partisan spirit and I want to thank Assemblymen Joe Morelle for his leadership and for partnering with me in our fight to ensure that our dream of creating the State’s first Veteran’s cemetery becomes a reality,” said Senator Nozzolio.
“We owe our military veterans a great debt of gratitude for their service,” Assemblyman Morelle said. “They sacrifice so much, and risk so much, on our behalf, and this is one small measure of our respect for them. I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for their support, and especially thank Senator Nozzolio for his commitment to making this a reality.”
“The passage of this important legislation is a critical step to insure that our Veterans have the opportunity to be buried in a place of honor,” said State Assemblyman Brian Kolb (R,C,I –Canandaigua), who co-sponsored the legislation in the Assembly. “This site in Seneca County with its historical significance to our country is uniquely and appropriately the right choice for the creation of this Veterans cemetery.”
Senator Nozzolio has committed over $500,000 in New York State funding in an effort to create a Veterans cemetery as the final resting place for our military heroes. The legislation approved by the Legislature will allow Seneca County to take authority over land that has been designated for the Veterans cemetery.
The site of the proposed cemetery, the Sampson United States Naval and Air Force Base, served as a naval training station during World War II and was later used as an Air Force Basic Training Center. Constructed in 1942, Sampson trained over 400,000 naval recruits during its years of operation.
Sailors trained at Sampson fought and participated in every major battle of World War II. During the Korean War the property was converted to the Sampson Air Force Base and over 300,000 airmen received their basic training there from 1950 until 1956. The Sampson Memorial Naval Museum and Air Force Museum are currently located at the site.
Creation of a veterans' cemetery on the former Sampson Naval and Air Force base has been one of the highest legislative priorities for many veterans ‘groups throughout New York State. Over the years, New York State Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Korean Vets, New York State Council of Veterans Organizations, the Sampson WW-2 Navy Veterans and Sampson Air Force Veterans have all advocated on behalf of the development of a cemetery at Sampson.
All honorably discharged veterans, their spouses and dependent children will be eligible for burial at the proposed cemetery. The guidelines for the cemetery will be based on federal veteran cemetery standards. This will include opening and closing of the graves, perpetual upkeep and maintenance, government headstone or marker, burial flag and presidential certificate.
Nozzolio and Morelle agreed that the location of the cemetery is particularly fitting.
“It is especially rewarding to know that this site, where young men and women once trained to defend our nation, will now serve as a placed of eternal honor and rest,” Morelle said. "I'm proud that upstate New York is home to such an historic site."
“Throughout our nation’s history, veterans have made tremendous sacrifices in defense of our democracy,” said Senator Nozzolio. “The Sampson site is a place of hallowed ground, where over three quarters of a million Americans were trained to defend and preserve our freedom. These Americans trained at Sampson to serve America and the country they loved. America’s veterans are our true heroes, and this cemetery will be a lasting tribute and place of honor where they will be appropriately remembered,” concluded Nozzolio.