emetery , ▁veter ans , ▁and ▁Row an ▁County ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁asking ▁for ▁help , ▁and ▁on ▁Memorial ▁Day ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁V eter ans ▁Administration ▁announced ▁the ▁don ation ▁of ▁about ▁, ▁at ▁the ▁W . G . ▁( B ill ) ▁He f ner ▁V A ▁Medical ▁Center ▁in ▁Sal is bury . ▁The ▁land ▁included ▁the ▁Brook dale ▁G olf ▁Cour se , ▁don ated ▁by ▁Samuel ▁C . ▁Hart ▁American ▁Leg ion ▁Post ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁hospital ▁when ▁it ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁and ▁used ▁until ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁The ▁expansion ▁gave ▁the ▁c emetery ▁enough ▁room ▁to ▁last ▁for ▁ 5 0 ▁to ▁ 7 5 ▁years , ▁with ▁room ▁for ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁more ▁veter ans ▁and ▁family ▁members . ▁A ▁ground bre aking ▁ceremony ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁c emetery ▁an nex ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁Day ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁The ▁first ▁bur ial ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁location ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁ ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Sal is bury ▁National ▁C emetery . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁a ▁$ 2 . 8 ▁million ▁expansion ▁began ▁on ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁golf ▁course , ▁with ▁space ▁to ▁b ury ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁more ▁people .