TAMPA, Fla. – A Jesuit High School teen’s curiosity about a small cemetery on Kennedy Boulevard has sparked a mission to bring history to life.
For years, Drew Garcia rode past the American Legion Cemetery on his way through South Tampa, always wondering who was buried behind its arched gate — and what stories lay beyond the weathered headstones.
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That childhood curiosity grew into a calling. A chance introduction to Alyse Duffy, the cemetery’s president, opened Garcia’s eyes to a staggering fact: Although the cemetery held the remains of 732 American Legion veterans, almost nothing was known about them.
What we know:
Now, Garcia has made it his mission to tell those stories — one veteran at a time. His detailed research has already uncovered remarkable lives, including:
Sgt. David C. Keene, a U.S. Army Band Sergeant who lost a leg after serving in World War I and became one of Hillsborough County’s first motorcycle police officers.Tech. Sgt. Gordon Edward Durland, a World War II airman who flew B-26 bombers out of MacDill Air Force Base and later served during the Korean War.Pauline Rosella Slattery, a codebreaker in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II who rose to the rank of Master Sergeant.
Garcia’s goal is simple but profound: To make sure these names — and their sacrifices — are never forgotten.
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“They say you die twice,” Garcia told FOX 13. “There’s your actual death, and then there’s the last time your name is mentioned. I’m trying to prolong that second death.”
Big picture view:
With the blessing of Duffy and the support of the American Legion Post 5, Garcia launched American Bios, a volunteer effort to catalog every veteran buried at the century-old site.
His partner, Paige Wilson, a senior at the Academy of the Holy Names, manages the project’s digital presence — designing posts, branding the initiative and helping share each story online.
Together, they’re building a “living library” of Tampa’s military past, combining genealogy research, military records and personal histories to rebuild lost narratives.
Garcia has already completed research on eight veterans, with deep dives underway on a dozen more. His process involves cross-referencing headstones with archival records, military rosters, census data and even family correspondence.
Dig deeper:
Garcia’s work has captured the attention of veterans and public officials alike. He’s presented his findings to hundreds at Memorial Day events, earning praise from U.S. Representative Kathy Castor and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Martin of the Air Force Special Operations Command.
His dream is to create a permanent digital archive and to install QR codes on each grave marker, allowing visitors to scan and instantly learn about the person resting there.
For Garcia, the work is deeply personal. After losing his grandfather — a veteran and pilot — he realized how easily stories can fade with time. This project, he said, is his way of keeping those memories alive.
What’s next:
Garcia plans to continue researching one biography each week until graduation, with hopes of completing all 732 veterans over time.
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He and Wilson are developing a dedicated American Bios website to house full-length profiles, photos and historical documents. For now, their work — and the lives they’re preserving — can be found on Instagram at @AmericanBios.
A young man’s curiosity has become a community effort to honor Tampa’s heroes — and ensure their stories live on for generations to come.
The Source: This story was written with information from Jesuit High School of Tampa, the American Legion Cemetery Corp., and interviews with Drew Garcia and Alyse Duffy.