Golden Gate National Cemetery, National military cemetery in South San Francisco, United States.
Golden Gate National Cemetery is a military burial ground in San Bruno, just south of San Francisco, holding over 143,500 gravesites. The grounds cover rolling terrain and flat sections, with markers arranged in organized sectors across many acres.
Congress approved construction in 1937 after San Francisco banned new burial grounds within city limits, with the first interments taking place in 1941. The site has received veterans from multiple conflicts, including servicemen from World War II and later wars.
The site reflects military tradition through neat rows of stones spread over gentle slopes, a quiet space for families honoring service members. Visitors walk the pathways to reflect at individual markers, where ranks and unit details appear alongside personal inscriptions.
The administration office at 1300 Sneath Lane provides maps and guidance for locating gravesites during weekday hours. Visitors find paved pathways for walking across the grounds, accessible from an open parking area near the entrance.
Admiral Chester Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Fleet during World War II, rests here alongside 44 sailors who died in the 1944 Port Chicago explosion. That incident remains one of the deadliest home front disasters of the war on American soil.
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