Isaac Newton Skelton IV was born in Lexington, MO on December 20, 1931. An Eagle Scout in his youth, Skelton wanted to attend West Point, but a bout with polio during high school hindered his arm use and Skelton was ineligible for military service. He went on to earn an associate's degree from Wentworth Military Academy and a bachelor's and a law degree from the University of Missouri.
Skelton entered politics in 1970, winning a seat in the Missouri State Senate. He stayed in the state senate until 1977 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The voters in Missouri's 4th District would reelect Skelton a total of 16 times.
A self-described "military history enthusiast," Congressman Skelton joined the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) in 1981. He chaired a panel to reform professional military education from 1987-1989. The panel conducted a hearing at Fort Leavenworth in January 1988. He became the ranking member of the HASC in 1998 and its chairman in 2007. Skelton lost a reelection bid in 2010.
Following his time in politics, Skelton worked for a law firm and wrote an autobiography. His book, "Achieve the Honorable," was published just before his death on October 28, 2013 at the age of 81.
To honor his legacy as an advocate of the armed forces and professional military education, the Combined Arms Research Library was named after Rep. Skelton in September 2014.
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