Major General Charles Richard Hutchison

1903 - 1983  (80 years)

• Name	Charles Richard Hutchison
  Prefix	Major General
  Born	25 Feb 1903	Mineral Point, Iowa, Wisconsin
  Gender	Male
  Died	25 Mar 1983	Honolulu, Hawaii
  Buried	Honolulu Hawaii
  		Memorial for Gen Charles R. Hutchison with Headstone Find a Grave
  Person ID	I8129	Grow
  Last Modified	14 Oct 2012

  
  

  Family	Esther Grow
  Children	1. Charles Richard Hutchison, Jr.   2. Colonel Joseph William Hutchison
  Last Modified	14 Oct 2012
  Family ID	F2649	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 25 Feb 1903 - Mineral Point, Iowa, Wisconsin Died - 25 Mar 1983 - Honolulu, Hawaii Buried - - Honolulu Hawaii  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos		Charles R. & Esther Grow Hutchison Headstone Posted to Ancestry by rkellens (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  		Major General Charles R. Hutchison

  
  

• Notes

  Charles Richard Hutchison was born 25 February 1903 in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, son of the late Wisconsin Senator and Mrs. Charles William Hutchison. He was the first of nine children, raised in the historical Moses M. Strong house in Mineral Point, but spent most of his youth working on the family farm. He graduated from Mineral Point High School in 1921, and attended Lawrence College at Appleton, Wisconsin the following two years. It was there that he received an appointment to West Point and entered the Military Academy in July 1923. Hutch found the Academy routine very different compared to his life on a farm and in a small town. But he gradually got into the swing of things, as reflected by his First Class year standing of 27 compared to Plebe year standing of 136. Upon graduation Hutch was assigned to the 6th Field Artillery Regiment (horsedrawn French 75?s) at Fort Hoyle, Maryland. These were the good old days, when second lieutenants made $125 a month, but a fun era with polo, tennis, swimming and socializing. 1930 brought assignment in the Canal Zone with the 2d Field Artillery (with 75 pack howitzers) stationed at Gatun. It was here that Hutch met and later married Army daughter Esther Grow Webb, on 24 June 1931. Upon return from their honeymoon in San Jose, Costa Rica, they were drummed on post, not by the traditional caisson ride, but by a mule ride with chairs strapped on each side. The 1932 assignment to Fort Sill, Oklahoma lasted seven years, interrupted only by Civilian Conservation Camp duty in Colorado and Arizona. It was at Fort Sill that Esther and Hutch's two sons were born; Charles R. Jr. in 1935 and Joseph W. in 1937. Post life at Fort Sill was enjoyable despite the great dust storms of those days, and Hutch made first lieutenant in 1933 and captain in 1937. The fall of 1939 brought orders to West Point, and duty with the Department of Economics and Government; he was assistant professor in 1941. The following year D. Appleton Century of New York published Hutch's book Personal Finance and Management for the Army Officer, which was used as a text at the Academy. He was promoted to major in 1941 and to lieutenant colonel in 1942. With the outbreak of World War II, his request for relief was approved, but instead of getting a troop assignment as hoped, he ended up with Army Service Forces Headquarters in the Pentagon. As Deputy Director of the Planning Division he was promoted to colonel in July 1943. Then the following year he reported for duty with General MacArthur's Headquarters at Hollandia, New Guinea. Later in 1944 he moved to Leyte in the Philippines and from there participated in the amphibious landings of the 41st Division at Zamboango, Island of Mindanao. Then in early 1945 he moved to Manila. Hutch took part in discussions with Japanese delegations in Manila in mid-August 1945, formulating arrangements for occupation of Japan. He was a member of the advance party in the first plane landing at Atsugi, Japan Air Station 28 August 1945. For two days he conferred with the Japanese delegation on stationing and housing United States Forces in Japan. A massive air lift of United States troops followed on 30 August which included General MacArthur. Surrender ceremony day saw Hutch heading a party to Tokyo to select facilities to move General MacArthur's Headquarters from Yokohama to Tokyo. Taken over were the Dai Ichi Building, well known to thousands of Americans for General Headquarters, and the little damaged United States Embassy for the MacArthur family residence. Hutch served on General MacArthur's staff for the next three interesting and exciting years. Esther and the two boys arrived in Tokyo in June 1946, and the family moved into a fine house in Yodabashi Ku. The Hutchisons returned to the United States in July 1948, where Hutch attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, graduating in June 1949. The next station was Heidelberg, Germany where Hutch served as Deputy and later Comptroller for United States Army Europe for almost five years. One of his primary achievements was securing Deutche Mark financing for a large dependent housing and related support facility construction program, which still constitute the principal facilities used by United States Forces stationed in Germany. From Germany the Hutchisons moved to First Army Headquarters on Governors Island, New York. Five months later Hutch was promoted to brigadier general and ordered to the Army Comptroller s office in the Pentagon. His work was with the Army budget, including presentations to various Congressional Committees. Promotion to major general came along in early 1958. Then in the summer of 1959, Hutch received very welcome orders to Hawaii, arriving there two days after statehood. The first two years of his Hawaii tour found him serving as Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army Pacific at Fort Shafter, and living on beautiful Palm Circle. Then in 1961 Hutch was appointed Commanding General, United States Army Hawaii, a position he held until his retirement in 1963. Shortly after retirement Hutch accepted a position as general manager of the Alexander Young Company including the well-known Alexander Young hotel in downtown, Honolulu. He re-retired in 1971 and had more time for golf and travel. It was in 1963 that the Hutchisons purchased a lovely home on the lower slopes of Diamond Head. Hutch's green thumb was evident everywhere on the property, and was the scene of many enjoyable social gatherings. Hutch was a leader in community affairs, freely giving his time and experience. For five years he chaired the 100 member Budget and Allocations Committee of the Aloha Limited Way. As president of the Kahola Community Association, he spearheaded the drive to convert the large estate leasehold residential lots to fee. Commencing in 1974 he was chairman United States Army Retiree Council, Hawaii, and for the following five years was an aggressive leader in promoting a better life for retirees and their widows. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for duty with the Army Service Forces, the Silver Star by the United States Eighth Army during the Zamboango landings, the Bronze Star for participation in the first landings in Japan 28 August 1945, Oak Leaf Cluster to Legion of Merit for services with General MacArthur's headquarters (1944-48), and the Distinguished Service Medal for service as Commanding General, United States Army Hawaii. Hutch headed a close family. His wife Esther, a lovely competent woman, was always at his side no matter what. She too was a leader in the military and civilian communities, wherever they were stationed. Their two sons have four grandsons and two granddaughters?all a source of great pride to Hutch. Son Joseph is a 1960 West Point graduate while Hutch's brother David W. is a 1931 West Point graduate. http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/8085/