The Medal of Honor, the United States Armed Forces’ highest decoration for valor, recognizes extraordinary acts of bravery against an enemy force. Awarded by the President on behalf of Congress, this prestigious medal has evolved since its inception during the Civil War, shaping criteria, design, and even grave markers. Within the hallowed grounds of VA national cemeteries, 390 Medal of Honor recipients rest, their stories etched in stone and memory. Santa Fe National Cemetery, steeped in history and located in a region with deep Mexico Va heritage, serves as the final resting place for many heroes, including several Medal of Honor recipients. This article delves into the stories of some of these brave individuals and the historical significance of Santa Fe National Cemetery.
Medal of Honor Recipients at Santa Fe
Among the honored individuals interred or memorialized at Santa Fe National Cemetery are men who exemplified courage across different eras of American history. Their acts of valor, spanning from boiler room emergencies to fierce battles, earned them the nation’s highest military honor.
Chief Water Tender Edward A. Clary
Chief Water Tender Edward A. Clary demonstrated exceptional heroism while serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Hopkins. On February 14, 1910, a boiler accident threatened the ship and its crew. Clary’s actions in the face of this danger were recognized with the Medal of Honor. He passed away in 1939 and rests in Section O, Site 335.
Private Edwin L. Elwood
Private Edwin L. Elwood’s bravery during the Indian Wars earned him the Medal of Honor. Serving with Company G, 8th U.S. Cavalry, he distinguished himself in action in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory, on October 20, 1869. Elwood’s commitment to duty is commemorated in Section H, Site 705, where he was buried after his death in 1907.
Specialist Daniel D. Fernandez
Specialist Daniel D. Fernandez, a New Mexico native, embodies ultimate sacrifice. Enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1965, he served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Mechanized Infantry, 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. On February 18, 1966, while attempting to aid a wounded comrade, Fernandez and his unit were ambushed. A grenade landed amongst them, and in a selfless act of heroism, Fernandez covered the blast with his body, shielding his fellow soldiers. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on April 26, 1967, and is buried in Section S, Site 246. His New Mexico roots reflect the strong Mexico va influence in the region, where valor and sacrifice are deeply honored.
Corporal Jacob Guenther
Corporal Jacob Guenther, sometimes recorded as Gunther, received the Medal of Honor for his service during the Indian Wars. As part of Company E, 8th U.S. Cavalry, he demonstrated valor in the Arizona Territory during operations in 1868–1869. Guenther died in 1871 and is interred in Section A-3, Site 1055.
Corporal Thomas Murphy
Corporal Thomas Murphy, born in County Kerry, Ireland, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1868. Serving with Company F, 8th U.S. Cavalry, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions on August 25, 1869, at Seneca Mountain, Arizona Territory. Initially buried at Fort Grant, Arizona, after its closure his remains were moved to Section A-1, Site 740 at Santa Fe National Cemetery.
Captain Raymond G. “Jerry” Murphy
Captain Raymond G. “Jerry” Murphy earned the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry in Korea. Serving with the U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, his actions on February 3, 1953, exemplified extraordinary bravery. Murphy passed away in 2007 and is buried in Section S, Site 282.
Sergeant Y.B. Rowdy
Sergeant Y.B. Rowdy, a Yavapai Indian and Arizona native, served with distinction in the U.S. Army’s Indian Scouts. Assigned to Company A, he displayed exceptional bravery against hostile Apache Indians at the Salt River, near Cherry Creek, Arizona Territory, on March 7, 1890. His valor was recognized with the Medal of Honor. Originally buried at Fort Grant, Arizona, Rowdy, who died on March 29, 1893, was reinterred in Section A, Site 894 in 1907. Rowdy’s service highlights the diverse backgrounds of those who have defended the nation, including Native Americans whose heritage is deeply interwoven with the Southwestern landscape, a region where Mexico va history and culture are palpable.
Colonel Robert S. Scott
Colonel Robert S. Scott received the Medal of Honor for his leadership and courage during World War II. Serving with the U.S. Army, 172nd Infantry, 43rd Infantry Division, his actions near Munda Air Strip, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on July 29, 1943, were exemplary. Scott died in 1999 and is buried in Section 9, Site 460.
Private First Class Jose F. Valdez
Private First Class Jose F. Valdez, another New Mexico native, demonstrated extraordinary heroism and self-sacrifice during World War II. Enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1943, he served with Company B, 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division. On January 25, 1945, near Rosenkrantz, France, Valdez volunteered to cover his company’s retreat from enemy territory. Even after being wounded, Valdez directed artillery and mortar fire close to his own position, ensuring his comrades’ safe withdrawal. He succumbed to his wounds after dragging himself back to American lines. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on February 8, 1946, Valdez is buried in Section Q, Site 29. Like Fernandez, Valdez’s New Mexican heritage connects him to the enduring Mexico va cultural tapestry of the region.
Other Notable Burials
Beyond Medal of Honor recipients, Santa Fe National Cemetery is the final resting place for a diverse array of individuals who have shaped the history of New Mexico and the nation.
Initial burials at the cemetery included the remains of 265 U.S. soldiers from battles at Glorieta, Koslouskys, and Fort Marcy, marking the cemetery’s early significance in commemorating military service in the Southwest.
Later, Santa Fe National Cemetery became the designated reinterment site for soldiers from remote southwestern frontier outposts. Remains from post cemeteries at Fort Apache and Fort Grant, Arizona; Fort Hatch and Fort Wingate, New Mexico; and Fort Duchesne, Utah, were brought here, consolidating the memory of frontier military life in one location.
The cemetery also holds the remains of Governor Charles Bent, the first American governor of the Territory of New Mexico. Killed in the Taos Indian uprising of 1847, Governor Bent was initially buried in the old Masonic Cemetery in Santa Fe before being reinterred in the national cemetery in 1895. Five Confederate soldiers who died in April 1862, also moved from the Masonic Cemetery, represent the complex history of the Civil War era in New Mexico.
In 1987, a mass grave on the Glorieta Pass Battlefield revealed the remains of 31 Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Glorieta Pass (1862). Identified as members of the 4th, 5th, and 7th Texas Mounted Volunteers, three were individually identified and reburied, while 28 unidentified soldiers are interred in Section K, Site 330C. A monument honors these Confederate soldiers reinterred at Santa Fe National Cemetery on April 25, 1993, reflecting a comprehensive remembrance of American history, even in times of division.
Santa Fe National Cemetery is also the resting place of Major General Patrick J. Hurley, Secretary of War under President Herbert Hoover and U.S. Ambassador to China. A distinguished veteran of World Wars I and II, General Hurley was interred with full military honors in Section S, Site 149 after his death in 1963.
Literary figures are also honored here, including Oliver LaFarge, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Laughing Boy.” LaFarge, a champion of American Indian rights, particularly the Navajo, and a World War II veteran, is buried in Section O, Site 300.
Warrant Officer John W. Frink, missing in action from 1972 to 1994, was interred with his father, Harry Wallace Frink, in Section O, Site 371, highlighting the cemetery’s role in providing closure for families of those lost in service.
Master Sergeant John Edward Allen, a Tuskegee Airman and community leader, is buried in Section 24, Site 560. Allen, who served in the Air Force from 1945 to 1982 and received the Congressional Gold Medal for his service as a Tuskegee Airman, represents the contributions of African Americans to the US military.
Navajo Code Talkers, instrumental in World War II, are prominently represented at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Corporal Ned David Becenti (Section 23, Site 309), Corporal Carl Csinnjinni (Section Z, Site 477), Ray Foghorn (Section X, Site 619), Corporal Ross Haskie (Section Y, Site 529), Private First Class Johnson Housewood (Section U, Site 324), Private Leo Kirk (Section Q, Site 330), Private First Class Ralph Morgan (Section Q, Site 42), Private First Class Sam Morgan (Section Q, Site 6), Chester Nez (Section 21, Site 555), Private First Class Sammy Silversmith (Section 11, Site 23), Corporal Frank Toledo (Section V, Site 1780), Private First Class Preston Toledo (Section 13, Site 648), Frank Chee Willetto, Sr. (Section 20, Site 599), and Corporal Daniel Yazzie (Section V, Site 1886) are among these heroes. Their Navajo heritage and vital wartime service underscore the diverse contributions to American history found within the cemetery’s grounds and reflect the enduring Mexico va cultural influence in the Southwest.
Buffalo Soldiers, African American soldiers who served in segregated units after the Civil War, are also remembered here. Private David Ford (Section 15A, Site 27), Private Levi Morris (Section 15A, Site 26), and Private Thomas Smith (Section 15A, Site 25) represent these soldiers, whose service in the West is a significant chapter in American military and social history.
George Curry, a governor of New Mexico and U.S. Representative, is buried in Section O, Site 358. Curry’s life, spanning military service in the Spanish-American War and political leadership in New Mexico’s statehood movement, reflects the rich tapestry of individuals connected to this cemetery.
Conclusion
Santa Fe National Cemetery is more than a burial ground; it is a repository of American history, valor, and cultural diversity. From Medal of Honor recipients to Navajo Code Talkers, Buffalo Soldiers, and prominent political and literary figures, the individuals interred here represent the multifaceted story of the United States and the Southwest. The cemetery stands as a powerful reminder of sacrifice, service, and the enduring legacy of those who shaped the nation, within a region where the spirit of Mexico va continues to resonate through its history and people.
