Charles Thomas Hutchison

West Point, 1964

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by John M. Shaner on January 18, 2010:

Lieutenant Charles T. Hutchison, "Hutch" was a 1960 graduate of Kittanning Senior High School, and by all accounts, was probably the best basketball player that Kittanning had ever seen. He was the son of Apollo natives Thomas C. and Dorothy Hutchison, and was known by nearly everyone in the Kittanning community as the son of the longtime Armstrong County Sheriff, and the leader of the Kittanning Senior High School Varsity Basketball Team that eventually became the WPIAL Section 1 Champions and had the honor playing in the Pitt Fieldhouse, a dream of all western Pennsylvania high school basketball teams of the era. Upon graduation from high school, Hutch had numerous scholarship offers and chose to attend The U.S. Military Academy at West Point. While at West Point, Hutch played varsity basketball and became the selfless soldier who gave his life for his men and for his country. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, The Combat Infantry Badge, and The Silver Star for gallantry under fire. He was a true hero, and continues to be remembered by his classmates at Kittanning Senior High School and West Point as they meet at his grave every five years to reminisce about an old friend and comrade. This year is the fiftieth anniversary of the 1960 section championship of the team that Hutch led, and appropriately, the Board of Directors of the Armstrong School District, on November 23, 2009, passed a resolution declaring the gymnasium at Kittanning Senior High School as the "Lt. Charles T. Hutchison Memorial Gymnasium", a fitting tribute to a young man who loved the game of basketball and has been an inspiration to young basketball hopefuls for the past fifty years. Hutch is still today an example of dedication and commitment and lived his life as inscribed on his headstone; Duty, Honor, Country. He was family to his sister, Vicki, and friend to multitudes. He was only 22 when he died. What a great man he may have become. He was simply, my friend. He is sadly missed. Sincerely, John M. Shaner, D.Ed., KHS Class of 1960

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