The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Application Form for Veterans Compensation, which authorized the state to compensate veterans native to Pennsylvania at the time of their enlistment. The application includes name, current address, branch and location of service, place of birth, dependents (wife, children, parents), stations assignments, promotions, wounds, service overseas, and honorable discharge date.
A notable resident listed in this record is John T. Cowsert, who served as a soldier during the Mexican Border War and the First World War. He joined the United States Army as a member of the 12th Field Artillery for the 2nd Division. While deployed in France, he fought in the battles of Chateau-Thierry, Soissons, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne. After armistice, John and the 2nd Division were part of the Army of Occupation that moved into Germany. For his service, John was awarded the Silver Star, two Croix de Guerres, and the Pershing Citation. After the war, John spent his life in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife, Irma. He worked for the Florida Power Corporation. Cowsert died on June 21, 1944, and was buried at Bay Pines National Cemetery Section 9, Row 2, Site 18.
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s
Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for K-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.