Oldest West Point graduate dies

GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

STONE RIDGE -- Retired Brig. Gen. Sherman V. Hasbrouck was remembered Thursday as the oldest living graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Born and raised in Stone Ridge, Sherman died Wednesday at age 103 at the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook, N.Y.

"He certainly had a distinguished career," said Lt. Col. James Whaley, an academy spokesman. "I'm sure West Point was probably in his blood."

Hasbrouck was to have gone Thursday to the U.S. Mint at West Point to take part in the pressing of a special coin commemorating the military academy's 200th anniversary, which is Saturday.

"We were going to have him represent the long gray line here at our ceremony," Whaley said. "The academy is very saddened by his loss."

Hasbrouck, a 1920 graduate, went on to have a 35-year career in the U.S. Army.

In 1998, he returned to West Point for the Class of 2002's Acceptance Day ceremonies. Looking back across the academy's history, Hasbrouck said little has changed.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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