The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs held a Bridge Dedication Ceremony today (July 1, 2022) to honor U.S. Marine Corporal John Hutchison.
The White River Bridge on US Highway 183, south of Presho, will bear Cpl. Hutchison’s name.
Hutchison, an aerial gunner of a CH-46 helicopter, was participating in a troop extraction mission in South Vietnam, Quang Tri province. As the helicopter approached the landing zone, bombardment of the area by enemy artillery commenced. Hutchison’s aircraft was hit by a very large caliber artillery shell and crashed to the ground and died on August 19, 1968.
Naming bridges in honor of our combat veterans who died while serving their country is an initiative of Governor Kristi Noem and the South Dakota Departments of Military, Transportation and Veterans Affairs.
Courtesy photo.
Courtesy photo.
Courtesy photo.
Comments