518.581.9128 ext. 209
Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Rd., Suite 1, Schuylerville, NY 12871

  • About Us

    The Saratoga National Cemetery Honor Guard Association is a locally-based all-volunteer organization whose mission is to serve as an official.

  • What We Do

    We perform ceremonial military funeral honors for honorably discharged veterans at the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery located.

  • Interested in Joining the Honor Guard?

    We welcome honorably discharged veterans, men and women, to join the Saratoga National Cemetery Honor Guard Association and Color Guard..

  • How You Can Help

    You can support the Honor Guard in several ways. Volunteer, donate, sponsor an event, or inquire about upcoming events or.

Our Mission

The Honor Guard Association provides military funeral honors for honorably discharged veterans at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery.

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Year Established
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Average Number of Services Performed per Year by HGA
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Weeks Per Year Services Performed
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Number of Volunteers

The Traditions of Military Funeral Honors

Military Funeral Honors are performed with dignity and respect for the veteran who gave honorable service to our country. These are the traditions and the history behind the ceremonies that are performed.

What to Expect at the Service

Military Funeral Honors (MFH) is a tradition so important to our nation’s foundation and fabric.

Three Volleys of Rifle Fire

At military funerals, one often sees three volleys of shots fired in honor of the.

Playing of Taps

The origins of “Taps,” the distinctive bugle melody played at U.S. military funerals and memorials.

13 Folds of the Flag

At the Saratoga National Cemetery either Active Duty or the Honor Guard pay meticulous attention.

Latest Articles

News

Upcoming Events

Remembering HGA Members we've lost 2023-2024

In memory of our Honor Guard Members for their dedication and commitment throughout the years. May they Rest in Peace.

Robert Joseph Newhouse, 86, of Middletown Rd. passed away Saturday May 11, 2024 at Evergreen Commons Nursing Home. He was born at home in Cohoes to the late William and Mary Perreault Newhouse on June 2, 1937. He attended Roessleville School in Colonie and played many sports while there. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War era and was a firearms instructor obtaining the rank of Sargeant upon discharge in 1957.

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Robert Newhouse

Stanley J. Stewart, 94, passed away on Monday, November 6, 2023. He was born in Troy on August 18, 1929, to Stanley and Josephine Stewart. Stanley served in the U.S. Army for 39 years, retiring in 1989. He served in the Korean War and received many military awards during his service. Stanley then worked for the N.Y.S. Department of Taxation and Finance.

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Stanley J. Stewart

Raffaele “Ralph” Pascazio, 82, died peacefully early Friday morning, March 31, 2023 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany with his loving family at his side. Ralph was born in Modugno, Bari, Italy on November 11, 1940, the son of the late Giacinto and Antoinetta Fragassi Pascazio. Ralph was foreign car mechanic while living in Italy. He legally emigrated to the United States in November of 1961 and settled in Cohoes. He resided in Watervliet for many years before moving to Latham in 2008.

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Ralph Pascazio

WEST HEBRON – Donald R. “Don” Coldwell, 81, of West Hebron, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at his residence with his family by his side. He was born September 29, 1941 in White Plains, the son of the late Dwight and Louise (Hang) Coldwell. Don graduated from Greenwich High School in 1960 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was a Cryptographer. He was honorably discharged in 1964. Don worked at Hollingsworth & Vose in Greenwich for 32 years. After retirement, he started his own business, Sawtooth & Nail Woodshop in West Hebron. Don loved making custom furniture for his friends and neighbors. He also enjoyed the outdoors and was an avid deer hunter.

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Don Coldwell

William James Chase, 79, of Valdosta, GA died on February 14, 2023, at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta, GA surrounded by loving family. William was born on June 27, 1943, in Providence, RI, son of Henry Francis and Ellen May (Hannah) Chase and was the loving husband to Janice Leigh (Aspinall) Chase.

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Bill Chase

Albin J. “Bud” Pendrak, 79, passed away peacefully and comfortably on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at Saratoga Hospital, with his family by his side. He was born March 18, 1944, in Saratoga Springs, NY, to the late Albert and Mary (DeGrechie) Pendrak. Albin graduated from Schuylerville High School in 1962 and Adirondack Community College in 1996. Following high school, he served his country proudly, in the United States Army, serving during the Vietnam War. Bud was a military professional, serving as staff administrative assistant to the commander, retiring in 1988 with 23 years of active service. He remained active during his retirement, serving on the Saratoga National Honor Guard.

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Bud Pendrak

Michael F. Marko, age 85, a proud veteran of the United States Navy, passed away on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Michael was born May 12, 1938, in Syracuse, New York. He was the son of the late Michael and Anna Marko and grew up in Minoa, New York. Michael married Elaine Reboux in August of 1961. They were married for 59 years until her passing on July 13, 2022.

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Mike Marko

Al was a long time member of the Thursday Squad. Alan L. Ernst, 76, a lifelong resident of Schuylerville, passed away Sunday, July 23, 2023, at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, surrounded by his loving family. He was born March 14, 1947, in Saratoga Springs, NY, to the late Donald L. and Julia E. (Coffinger) Ernst. Alan was proud of his country and all the American Flag stood for. He served his country valiantly in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. One of his most important ways of serving his fellow veterans was by doing it, as a member of the Saratoga National Cemetery Honor Guard Association.

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Al Ernst

Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery

Information about the cemetery

History

Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery is New York State’s sixth national veteran’s cemetery and the 116th in the National Cemetery Administration.

More than 1.4 million veterans live in New York and more than 225,000 reside in the Albany/Saratoga area. The first phase of construction, encompassing 60 acres of the 351-acre cemetery, included 5,000 gravesites, 2,000 lawn crypts, 1,500 columbaria niches and 700 garden niches for cremated remains. At full capacity, Solomon-Saratoga can provide burial space for 175,500 veterans and eligible dependents.

On Jan. 24, 2002, President George W. Bush signed legislation renaming Saratoga National Cemetery as the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. Congressman Solomon was known as the champion of veterans’ causes. Among his accomplishments, he spearheaded the effort to create the cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs and successfully led a drive to establish the national cemetery in which he is now interred.

Monuments and Memorials
The ship’s bell from the USS Saratoga, CV-3, was installed as a memorial at the cemetery in 1999. The USS Saratoga was launched in 1925 and spent 20 years at sea, including action during World War II. It was taken out of service and destroyed in 1946. New York Congressman Dean P. Taylor requested the bell in 1946. It was first displayed at Saratoga Spring’s Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Memorial Home, dedicated on Veteran’s Day in 1949. The bell was later restored and permanently mounted at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery.

An American gray granite memorial was erected in 2001 to honor veterans from Saratoga County, N.Y. The monument features two granite slabs inscribed with approximately 980 names of individuals who gave their lives for their country. A granite obelisk is at the forefront of the monument.

A pyramidal black-mist granite memorial for Congressman Gerald B.H. Solomon, who was instrumental in the national cemetery’s establishment and a proponent of veteran causes, was erected in 2002, the year the cemetery was renamed in his honor.

A granite and bronze memorial was erected in honor of U.S. submariner veterans on Oct. 19, 2002.

The cemetery also has a walkway that features a number of memorials erected by various veterans and fraternal organizations in honor of events and fallen comrades.

The American Veterans (AMVETS) donated a carillon in 1999.

Eligibility

Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. A Veteran’s spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial. Eligible spouses and children may be buried even if they predecease the Veteran. Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or who die while on training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial.

Cemetery Map

The Saratoga National Cemetery has performed over 20,000 internment’s since it’s inception. To use the National Cemetery Administration Grave Locator, please click HERE.