Kalispell resident returns to West Point for 75-year ceremony

There are not many members of the West Point Class of 1938 left, but retired Maj. Gen. Neil Van Sickle of Kalispell was proud to represent his class at the recent cadet graduation at the U.S. Military Academy in New York.

“Every year at graduation time there are anniversaries of various classes,” Van Sickle said. “Usually there are five classes that come in. I, being the only surviving, mobile member of the class of 1938, represented my class. And being the oldest graduate present, I was privileged to take part in a number of ceremonies.”

For Van Sickle, 97, the mid-May trip back to his alma mater was not the first time he has represented the oldest class. 

Five years ago, Van Sickle took part in his 70th class reunion and had the distinction of being the oldest graduate in attendance.

“It’s always a thrill to go back to West Point,” he said. “You can always relive the best moments of your cadet chapter. One of the most interesting aspects of my visit to West Point as a representative of the Class of 1938 is that as I thought of all my classmates, I realized that many of them far exceeded, as cadets or officers, anything that I may have done. This task of representing the class was an exercise in humility.”

Born and raised in Minot, N.D., Van Sickle originally enlisted in the North Dakota National Guard before receiving his appointment to West Point.

“West Point was a way to get at, what was in those days, the Army Air Corps,” Van Sickle said. “When I was in high school I never thought of anything but flying. That’s the only thing I ever thought of, and that’s what I did.”

It wasn’t until almost two years after receiving his commission, however, that he was able to fly.

“You wont believe this, but originally, immediately after I graduated West Point, I was a horse cavalryman for a year and a half,” Van Sickle said. “I had been modestly successful with the cadet horse show team and I had horses on the brain.”

After that stint in the cavalry, Van Sickle transferred to flying and piloted bombers during World War II, serving briefly in North Africa as a convoy escort as well as other locations in various theaters.

“First plane I ever flew after I graduated was the A-20. It was a single-pilot, twin-engine bomber that was diverted immediately during the war to anti-submarine patrol,” he said. “But I’ve flown all the bombers; I can’t think of anything else I’m guilty of.”

During a military career spanning 30 years, Van Sickle said he saw a lot of changes in the service, beginning with the creation of the Air Force as a separate service. He also served a short tour with the United Nations immediately after the war, as well as a “wide variety of other assignments.”

“There are many things that stand out about my time in the service, but perhaps my happiest time in the service was when I was commanding a bomber wing of B-36s in the Strategic Air Command in the ’50s,” he said.

Van Sickle, who turns 98 on June 8, retired at age 53 and returned to his passion for horses, buying a ranch with his wife in the Black Hills, teaching riding and raising Connemara ponies until her death.

“I did miss flying for a while after I retired, but [raising horses] was my life, and I loved it, until she passed away, and I sold out,” he said.

Eventually, he remarried and moved to Kalispell to be closer to his son.

“I have three beautiful daughters and a fine son,” he said. “My second wife and I spent 15 years working on a book that was recently published, called ‘The Indian Way: Indians and the North American Fur Trade,’ so I’ve been busy. Now that I’m not writing, I’m finding other things to do like going back to West Point.”

Although he was the only member of his class present at the recent graduation, Van Sickle said he would enjoy returning again, but he isn’t sure how likely that will be.

“I’m now 97. If I’m still alive, I’ll go back, if they’ll have me. It’s every five years, though. Each class has a reunion every five years, and I think I may not hang around this old body that long.”

Despite his many accomplishments, Van Sickle maintains a humble attitude and positive outlook on life.

“So many people have done so many things that are better than what I’ve done that I don’t have much to brag about. I’m healthy and reasonably happy and I have a good dog, so I can’t complain too much.”

Reporter Melissa Walther may be reached at 758-4474 or by email at mwalther@dailyinterlake.com.