WASHINGTON -- Ret. Lt. Gen. Willard W. Scott Jr., who was superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from 1981 to 1986, has died. He was 82.
Scott suffered from a form of Parkinson's disease and died Thursday at his home in Alexandria, Va., according to family members.
Scott was born Feb. 18, 1926, at Fortress Monroe, Va., and graduated from West Point in 1948 with a commission in field artillery.
During his Army career he was the commanding general of MACV troops in Vietnam from 1970-72, the 25th Division, based in Hawaii, from 1976-78, and 5th Corps in Germany from 1980-81.
As West Point's 52nd superintendent and for years afterward Scott led cheers while riding an Army mule, the academy's mascot, along the sidelines during football games.
Following his retirement from the military, Scott was executive director of the Association of Military Colleges and Schools in the U.S. from 1988-97.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Justine Dorney Scott, and seven children.
