Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today joined elected officials in Pembroke to announce details about the new Western New York Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Sen. Charles Schumer announced the cemetery may be named after William Donovan, a native Western New Yorker, World War I veteran, and head of the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, a precursor of the CIA. As a fellow veteran and Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Hawley has been a strong supporter of creating the new cemetery. The final name will be chosen by the VA.

“A veterans’ cemetery right here in Pembroke is great for Western New York’s military families. This location will benefit military families as they pay their respects to a loved one. I encourage veterans and others to write in support of the Donovan name or other suggestions. As plans for the cemetery advance, I’ll continue working with local, state, and federal officials to make it a reality,” said Hawley.