John Plahovinsak
A “Lindbergh-Type” burial is very similar to a “green burial” or a “natural burial.” This type of burial refers to more environmentally friendly methods of burial that refrain from the use of chemicals, concrete vaults, and other non-biodegradable materials.
Congress gave the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the authority to establish “green burial” sections in its national cemeteries through Public Law (P.L.) 117-355, the National Cemeteries Preservation and Protection Act of 2022.
Now, the VA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is piloting interments in “green burial” sections at three VA national cemeteries: the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona; Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
The “pilot” program will allow the NCA to gather critical information to analyze customer expectations (and define operational procedures) for implementing “green burial” sections at additional cemeteries.
A “Lindbergh-Type” burial is what occurred when Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator who made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, died in Hana, Hawaii, on August 26, 1974.
Lindbergh, a former vice-president of Pan American (PanAm) Airways, was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma in 1972. After cancer treatments in New York City failed, he asked to fly to Hawaii to die at his simple cottage.
Both his doctors and PanAm Airways refused his request. In complete secrecy, United Airlines flew him to Hawaii, where he remained in total seclusion. He spent his remaining days completing his burial plans.
Lindbergh wanted to be buried without the services of morticians. This eliminated the use of embalming fluids and allowed the body to decompose faster.
He wanted to be buried barefoot, thus eliminating leather shoes or sandals which would not decompose immediately. He was clothed with only a khaki work shirt and cotton work trousers, that farm workers in Hawaii wore. The work shirt Lindbergh was buried in had wooden buttons.
His friends in Hana constructed a rough-hewn eucalyptus casket, fastened by wooden dowels instead of iron nails. Lastly, he wanted to be buried immediately after his death.
Upon his passing, a pick-up truck took his body to a small church graveyard. Less than 15 people participated in the burial. The grave site was an eight-foot square; twelve-foot deep and filled with lava rocks. His headstone is a large block of gray Vermont granite.
The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) will accept both the cremated veteran’s remains and certain intact remains for interment in the “green burial” sections.
The law requires remains interred in a “green burial” section to be prepared for burial in a manner that does not involve chemicals or embalming fluids. The veteran’s remains will be buried in a biodegradable casket or urn, or are otherwise interred in a natural manner, such as securely wrapped in a biodegradable shroud.
The NCA will maintain “green burial” sections to have a natural appearance and will use native grasses and plants to differentiate them from other sections in the cemetery.
The NCA will mark the gravesites in “green burial” sections with a flat granite marker that is distinct from other markers in the national cemetery to complement the section’s desired natural appearance and to be consistent with green burial practices.
While “green burial” sections are new, NCA has always accepted remains that are prepared naturally and/or presented in a biodegradable container for burial in a VA national cemetery.
These burials are conducted in “non-green burial” sections, and NCA will continue to conduct burials in these small sections for decedents whose remains are prepared and presented in a more environmentally friendly way if that is preferred.
My Opinion: It appears that Charles Lindbergh set the standards for a “green burial” when he planned, in detail, his own burial. He also designed a drainage system for his gravesite, along with a request for a wool Hudson Bay blanket (from his home in Connecticut) to line his casket.
This new VA “green burial” procedure is only a “pilot” project at three (3) of the NCA cemeteries. It is not a “forced” procedure, but a “voluntary” one that the veteran may choose.
I would project that the Korean War, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf era veterans would desire the formal-type ceremony, while the Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans may perhaps prefer a “green burial.”
Unfortunately, many veterans pass away without indicating their burial wishes, and their families may have to make hard decisions without their input.
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran, who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Hospital Chairman and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be contacted at plahovinsak@msn.com.