An Engineer's War: The Legacy of PFC Alfred Hutchison

by Sean J. Flynn

Soon after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, Alfred Hutchinson, a 21-year-old farmer from Gregory County, South Dakota, volunteered for the Army Engineers. His military service in World War I would take him to an Army post on the Rio Grande River, across the submarine-infested Atlantic Ocean, to the battle-carred fields of rural France. As a member of the legendary 2nd Engineer Regiment, Hutchinson contributed to construction projects that paved the way for the two million men of the American Expeditionary Force. Yet it was while fighting with a combat unit at the historic Battle of Belleau Wood that the courageous PFC Hutchinson made his ultimate sacrifice to country. Based on Hutchinson's letters from France, Army records, unit histories and scores of books, newspaper accounts and articles, An Engineer's War chronicles the life of a unique individual participating in one of the most significant events in history. Through an examination of the life of Alfred Hutchinson, the reader will experience the joys and sorrows of the doughboys who served in France during the great war. Author Sean J. Flynn is an assistant professor of history at Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota.

106 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004