"We have been waiting for Miramar to open for three years," said Margrit Yacapin, the wife of Army veteran Lomi Yacapin, whose cremated remains were laid to rest with full military honors. "He just wanted to be part of a new tradition and wanted to be buried in the ground to have a soldier's grave."

Full casket burials at Miramar are not expected to take place until February as different phases of the 313-acre facility are completed. Each phase will accommodate 12,000 full casket burials.

"We were originally looking to open this in 2005, but we ran into some environmental issues and after that some contracting issues," said Kirk Leopard, the director for Miramar and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.

The work to get Miramar open began in 1999 when it became apparent Fort Rosecrans was running out of room. The National Cemetery in Point Loma had been closed to casket burials since 1966 and space for cremated remains was also going into short supply.

For the Yacapin family, the cemetery was the only place their former Army Airborne soldier wanted to be buried, especially with the takeoff of jets from nearby MCAS Miramar.

"Daily flyovers... that's what we were hoping for," said Magrit Yacapin. "I'm sure that was in the back of his mind so he'd be thrilled."