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<p><em>Gordon Raynor “Nick” Negaard</em>, the second son of Ogel Negaard and Mathilda Hanson, was born on August 1, 1930 in Mobridge, SD. Losing his mother at age 4, he was raised as a farm boy who loved the outdoors, fishing and hunting. He ultimately got itchy feet as he turned 17, dropped out of school before his senior year and bummed around the Dakotas. In early 1949 he realized he was not getting anywhere in life and decided to enlist in the military to learn a trade and see the world. </p>
<p>He wanted to join the newly created U.S. Air Force; but, not having a high school diploma, he settled for the Army, with the promise he would be assigned to duty in Germany. He spent several days taking a battery of tests and scored 154 out of a possible 160 on the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test). Although he had no idea at the time, this score would follow him throughout his enlisted service and eventually help him get into West Point.</p>
<p>Basic training flew by, and at graduation time he was asked to select choices for an occupational specialty. His company commander reviewed them and suggested Nick volunteer for the Leadership School operated by the division, with the option of returning as cadre to his company. He was flattered and accepted. Nick spent the next six months as training cadre and found it rather boring, but things were about to get more interesting. The Army decided to close the base. By Christmas 1949, only about a hundred soldiers remained. Quite a few of Nick’s fellow cadre, and many of the men he had trained, were sent to the 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, WA. This division ended up in Korea defending the Pusan perimeter. Quite a few of these soldiers died there, including a close friend, James Allgood, from Mississippi. Nick often thought that he could easily have been sent to Korea. (His brother Duane ended up serving in that same division later in the Korean War: Duane followed his older brother to West Point and graduated in 1957.)</p>
<p>The remaining few finally got orders in early January 1950. Nick was chosen to go to Trieste, Italy for a UN peacekeeping assignment. The duty was easy. They were essentially a show outfit, although they did infantry training and conducted monthly field exercises. Yugoslavia sat to the east of the city, and Tito was constantly threatening to invade. By January 1950, however, this threat had diminished. The unit still manned outposts at the border, although there was little cross border traffic. Nick’s company commander appointed him as the company TI&E (training, information and education) NCO, and his primary duty was to conduct a one-hour class each week sharing current-event information provided by the Army. When the Korean War broke out on June 29, the company started receiving a weekly newsreel showing some of the bloody action. </p>
<p>Nick began to think of becoming an officer. His first sergeant educated him about the U.S. Military Academy and convinced him to apply. Sergeant Scarry had been a firearms instructor at West Point in the ’30s and knew that the Academy had slots for enlisted appointments. The timing was coincidentally just right, as the annual competitive exam was held the following week. It was extremely long, and Nick thought he had done terribly. He was very surprised a few weeks later to receive the orders that changed his life. He was quickly put on a train to Frankfurt, Germany, where he caught a C-54 and was transported to Newburgh, NY in time to start USMA Prep School a few days later. He would have never thought of attending West Point except for a grizzled old sergeant who took an interest in him. As a cadet, his roommate Frank Ceglowski Armour introduced him to “Bea” Robles, and they dated until they married on June 7, 1955 (just hours after his graduation and commissioning as a second lieutenant). West Point was a very special place for them both. </p>
<p>Nick had an interesting career, serving as an officer in the 101st Airborne Division, where he made 33 jumps; the 4th Armored Cavalry Division in Germany; and the Ordnance Corps at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. The Army sent him to Purdue University, where he received an M.S. in mechanical engineering. Since his true passion was planes, he transferred to the Air Force for assignments at Eglin AFB in Florida and Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, where he earned an M.S. in aerospace engineering and worked at the Flight Dynamics Lab. Upon retirement from the Air Force, Nick began a consulting career, heading the Aerospace Structures Information and Analysis Center (ASIAC) that supported the Flight Dynamics Lab. He retired from this position at age 70.</p>
<p>Nick and Bea spent their retirement in Dayton, OH, where they enjoyed gardening, traveling and spending time with their children and grandchildren. An avid sports fan, he and his buddies from ASIAC enjoyed playing racquetball well into their 70s. His wife Bea passed away on December 6, 2015 after 60 years of marriage. Nick died peacefully on July 15, 2023 in Charleston, SC at age 92. Nick and Bea are survived by their six children: Susan, Gordon Jr., Robin, Gary, Galen and Kristin; 12 grandchildren: Daniel, Michael, John, Sarah, Andrew, Zachary, Jamie, Caroline, Nick, Charlie, Aidan and Wren; and two great-grandchildren: James and Stephanie.</p>
<p>Nick led a full and happy life, often stating that even a high school drop-out can turn his life around. </p>
<p><em>— Your loving Family</em></p>
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