Established in 1903, Locustwood Cemetery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey is located 10 minutes from the Cherry Hill Mall and down the street from what was once the Garden State Racetrack. The grounds are nestled in a serene setting of beautifully landscaped lawns and stately trees, with four stately Doric columns which once overlooked a reflection pond that was part of an exhibit at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York.
Locustwood is a non-sectarian cemetery serving all faiths. Facilities include Estate Sections, Garden, Chapel, and Sheltered Mausoleum crypts and Columbarium Niches. A consecrated Jewish section and Garden of Jacob mausoleum is offered for those of the Jewish Faith, and there is a Veteran's Section as well as an American Legion Section.
Flagging the graves of our veterans at Locustwood Cemetery is rich in our American Legion history and is now a tradition beginning in 1935. It is done on the Sunday prior to Memorial Day Weekend - rain or shine. It began in 1935 when Locustwood Cemetery deeded 400 free grave sites to the American Legion for use by Legionnaires and their spouses, and erected a monument memorializing their service. As part of the transfer of grave sites, the American Legion members began their tradition of flagging the veterans graves in the cemetery, along with an annual Memorial Day Service at the monument and the NJ American Legion Statewide Services and Parade, which is held the Sunday after Memorial Day.
Today, there are over 2,400 graves of veterans in the cemetery, some in the dedicated American Legion section and others in the Jewish Veterans section, where Jewish War Veterans began flagging Jewish graves in 1998.
There are numerous veterans in this cemetery that paid the ultimate sacrifice during the wars - from WWII to GWOT – some of which are highlighted in this brochure and last years video. While flagging their graves in preparation for Memorial Day, we also flag the graves of veterans that passed away after serving our country – a show of respect and remembrance for their service.
In addition to our veterans, we also flag our first responders graves, who have protected and kept us safe at home. One such hero is Cherry Hill Police Officer Louis Duffy, who was killed in the line of duty in 1947.
Locustwood is also the resting of place of several young veterans and first responders that passed away recently and unexpectedly, not in the line of duty, but while serving our great nation. They include Anthony Evans (2017), Justin Major (2021) and most recently, one of Camden County Police Departments finest – Police Officer Daniel Adler, who was interred here on Friday, May 20th
May we be eternally grateful for our servicemen and women who put their lifes on the line and make the ultimate sacrifice.
THANK YOU to all our Community Partners that have assisted the American Legion Members with Flagging the Veterans Graves at Locustwood Cemetery over the years;
AMERICAN LEGION MEMBERS
(Legionnaires, SAL’s, Auxiliary, and Baseball)
CAMDEN COUNTY / VETERANS AFFAIRS
CHERRY HILL TOWNSHIP
CHERRY HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT
CHERRY HILL POLICE DEPARTMENT
CHERRY HILL PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS
CHERRY HILL FOP / CHERRY HILL PBA
CHERRY HILL JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY
GLOUCESTER COUNTY POLICE ACADEMY
JEWISH WAR VETERANS
JFCS of Southern New Jersey
SCOUTS—Boys Scouts, Cub Scouts & Girl Scouts
And other Community Volunteers
While we always welcome help and assistance, we have to limit volunteer spots to assure that everyone has an area to flag.
Have a look through our Photo Section to see some photos from prior Flagging events.
There are over 400 VETERANS GRAVES in Colestown Cemetery – among many heroes that rest here are Medal of Honor recipient George R Cholister and our beloved Cpt Greg Dalessio of Cherry Hill who was killed in 2008.
Colestown was actually a small village founded in the late 1600s. The village contained two stores, a blacksmith shop, several dwellings, a church, a cemetery and a hotel.
The cemetery, where the earliest burial was recorded in 1746, is the only remnant of this village. The gatehouse, constructed in 1858, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. One side of the gatehouse was used as a chapel for funeral services, and the other side was the living quarters for the superintendent of the cemetery. Medal of Honor recipient George Cholisters father, Harry, lived here for over 30 years as the Superintendent.
George Cholister, although born in Camden, was educated at Ellisburg School, which was then Delaware Township. His father was a policeman in Stockton before becoming a Superintendent at Colestown Cemetery.
Cholister enlisted in the Navy on April 11, 1916 and was in the eighth year of his enlistment when he sustained the injuries which resulted in his death. During the World War, George served on a submarine in the North Sea and was later transferred to the US Destroyer Fanning, which was officially credited with sinking 3 German submarines. He also served in China and Japan for 4 years, during the earthquake disaster. George Cholister lost his life on October 20, 1924, at Norfolk, VA, when a charge of powder during gun practice was prematurely ignited aboard the USS Cruiser Trenton. He was posthumoutly awarded both the Navy Cross and Medal on Honor.
Another hero, Army Cpt Greg Dalessio, who grew up in the Knollwood Section of Cherry Hill, was fatally shot on June 23, 2008 as he emerged from a weekly reconstruction meeting with Iraqi officials in the city of Salman Pak. The gunman in that attack also killed another American soldier and wounded three others. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division and was on his second tour.
Since his death in 2008, his family has held an Annual Cpt Greg Dalessio 5K Run/Walk on the 1st Saturday in December.
Annually, members of the American Legion, Boy Scouts and friends of the American Legion flag our veterans grave at Colestown in mid May. Unfortunately we are unable to open this event to the public due limited volunteer slots available.
Browse through our photo section to see photos from prior Flaggings of the veterans graves.