Tahoma is the first national cemetery in Washington, comprised of 160 acres. It was established on Nov. 11, 1993, and opened for interments on Oct. 1, 1997. The cemetery was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1997. The name "Tahoma" was used by the Klickitat Indian Tribe as their name for Mt. Rainier, the highest peak in Washington. There is a magnificent view of Mt. Rainier looking southward from the cemetery. Internment options include columbarium niches, crypts, and traditional grave sites.
Medal of Honor recipients interred here include:
Second Lieutenant Jesse T. Barrick (Civil War), 57th Regiment of the U.S. Colored Infantry. Near Duck River, Tenn., May 26 - June 2, 1863 (Section 8, Grave 108)
Private First Class Dexter J. Kerstetter (World War II), Company C, 130th Infantry, 33rd Infantry Division. Near Galiano, Luzon, Philippine Island, April 13, 1945 (Section 9B, Grave 12)
Other notable graves include:
Sergeant First Class Nathan Ross Chapman -- first American serviceman to die from hostile fire in the war in Afghanistan in 2002. Sergeant Chapman was a communications specialist with the 1st Special Forces Group at Fort Lewis, WA. (Section 6, Grave 33)
Francis Agnes -- former POW (1941 to 1945), survivor of the Bataan Death March, founder of the Tahoma National Cemetery Support Group (Section 24, Grave 717)