Fort McPherson near North Platte is Nebraska's only national cemetery, the final resting place for veterans from every American conflict since the Indian and Civil Wars. A local group says there's a need for another national cemetery in eastern Nebraska.

More than five years ago, Marine Capt. Travis Ford was buried at Fort McPherson National Cemetery.

Navy veteran Kenneth Todd has been there. "It's just a very neat cemetery, very well taken care of, just impressive to look at."

"That's really too far away to serve the population base that's in the eastern part of the state," says Steve Johnson, president of the Memorial Ridge of the Midlands Foundation, a group formed to help establish a national veterans cemetery in eastern Nebraska.

"In 10 or 15 years, all of those World War II veterans are going to be gone."

Johnson has collected obituaries of area veterans who have passed away since August. "We've been doing it as a way to help remind people and show people what we're up against in terms of time."

Another 33,000 World War II veterans live in the area, including Todd, who says a new cemetery is important, not just for his generation, but for generations to come.

“Otherwise, you forget all those things and if you had a national cemetery right here in eastern Nebraska, why it would help remind the people of what went on back during World War II."

Congressman Lee Terry has introduced legislation for a national cemetery in eastern Sarpy County.

Johnson says they need local businesses and community leaders to help put pressure on Congress to approve the cemetery.