Object 82: LGBTQ+ Monument in Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) monuments adorn cemeteries across the United States, but only two are in national cemeteries maintained by VA. At Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Ellwood, Illinois, a four-foot-tall monument bears witness to the honorable service of LGBTQ+ Veterans. A smaller monument in the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix recognizes all persons who have served their country with “courage and pride” throughout American history.

White text on a black background is standard for many memorials. However, the “pink triangle” serves as a focal point and symbol of pride on most LGBTQ+ monuments, including the two in the VA cemeteries. The pink triangle originated in Nazi Germany during the 1930s. Just as Jewish prisoners and citizens were forced to wear the yellow Star of David, those labeled as “homosexuals” were required to wear a pink triangle.

In the United States, blue rather than pink became the distinguishing mark for many LGBTQ+ Veterans. During World War II, the military issued thousands of other than honorable “blue discharges” to Army and Navy personnel. Printed on blue paper, these administrative discharges allowed the military to swiftly remove those who were considered troublesome or unfit for service. African American soldiers were often singled out for this type of discharge. So, too, were individuals accused of homosexual behavior or tendencies. Roughly 9,000 LGBTQ+ service members were given a blue discharge during the war. Afterwards, they were often denied their GI Bill benefits and other forms of recognition as Veterans, including the right to burial in national cemeteries.

During the Cold War era, the armed forces continued to employ administrative discharges to expel gay men and women from the ranks. On average, about 2,000 persons a year were discharged due to their sexual orientation. Those who wanted to stay in the military had little choice but to keep their sexual identity hidden from view. In the mid-1970s, however, Air Force Tech Sgt. Leonard P. Matlovich decided to challenge the military’s policy of exclusion.

Matlovich had enlisted in 1963 and completed three tours in Vietnam, earning both a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. In 1975, he submitted a letter to his commanding officer openly declaring “that my sexual preferences are homosexual.” Despite his exemplary service record, he was administratively discharged. Matlovich then took his case to court and sued the Air Force for reinstatement. The legal battle dragged on for five years, but Matlovich prevailed in what was seen as a sign of hope for LGBTQ+ service members fighting for their rights.

Another significant development in the gay rights movement was its adoption of the pink triangle once used by the Nazis as a badge of shame. Activists in the 1980s turned the pink triangle into a mainstream LGBTQ+ symbol of both remembrance and pride. The first public monument to make prominent use of the symbol was Homomonument, built in Amsterdam in 1987 to memorialize the LGBTQ+ victims of Nazi persecution.

The pink triangle also became a key motif in Matlovich’s own memorial when he died in 1988 of complications from AIDS. Because government-issued headstones in national cemeteries can only display authorized emblems of belief and the inscription must include certain mandatory items, too, Matlovich chose a private plot in Washington, D.C.’s Congressional Cemetery. He wanted the headstone at his final resting place to be a memorial for all LGBTQ+ service members and Veterans. The design of the marker inspired that of the two LGBTQ+ monuments installed some years later in the VA cemeteries. 

In 1993, President Bill Clinton enacted the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which was intended to stop the active investigation of LGBTQ+ service members. While the limits of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” became apparent within the decade, the policy continued until it was repealed by President Barack Obama in 2011. In the intervening years, awareness of LGBTQ+ service members grew and LGBTQ+ rights groups became more vocal in demanding acceptance.

In 1999, the Phoenix chapter of Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America made plans for a memorial at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix. The monument was carved of rainbow granite with two of the iconic pink triangles, inspired by the triangles on Leonard Matlovich’s headstone. While the type of stone was chosen to evoke the importance of the rainbow to the LGBTQ+ community, the inscription deliberately emphasized fellowship across sexual orientation and service lines, reading “In Memory of All Veterans Who Served with Courage and Pride.” The monument was unveiled at a ceremony held on Veteran’s Day in 2000.

With the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2011, individuals of all sexual persuasions were allowed to serve openly in the military. Shortly after, in 2013, VA approved the interment of same-sex spouses alongside Veterans in national cemeteries. Around the same time, the LGBTQ+ organization American Veterans for Equal Rights* began planning for a larger monument in a national cemetery.

After four years of application and design processes, the organization succeeded in getting a memorial approved by VA. Dedicated in 2015 at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Illinois, the LGBTQ+ Veterans Memorial mirrored the designs seen on the Arizona memorial and Matlovich’s gravestone. It also marked a transition to open appreciation of specifically LGBTQ+ Veterans throughout American history. The symbolism, including the pink triangle, acknowledges the hatred and discrimination that the LGBTQ+ community has overcome since World War II.

While VA has made great strides in fulfilling its promises to Veterans of all sexual orientations and identities, the work of correcting past injustices remains unfinished. VA encourages Veterans who were issued an administrative discharge for their sexuality to apply for an upgrade to the discharge and request the VA benefits they have earned through their service.

* Formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America. The organization changed its name in 2002.