Maj. Gen. Clayton Hutmacher, U.S. Army, USMC, Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan
Description
Clayton Hutmacher enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1978. Six years later he jumped at the chance to go to Army flight school and pursue a career in special operations. He would later see action in Panama, Desert Storm, and in both Iraq and Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Maj. Gen. Hutmacher shares his story of service, including what was required to become a special operations aviator and what his service entailed in Operation Just Cause in Panama. Months later, he was in the Saudi Arabian desert as part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Hutmacher shares the details of his missions against critical targets in northern Iraq and why the combat was much more intense there than in Panama.
He also tells us about his service in Iraq and Afghanistan, how the theaters of operation were very different from one another, and why Iraq provided the most intense combat of his career.
Gen. Hutmacher also reveals how he kept in touch with the concerns of enlisted personnel as he rose up the chain of command and the challenges he faced as Director of Operations at U.S. Special Operations Command.
Finally, he tells about his work now at the Special Operations Warrior Foundation serving the children of fallen special operators and others.
Sean Corrigan was commissioned as a second lieutenant when he graduated from West Point in 1988. Within just a couple of years, he saw action in both Panama and Desert Storm. Soon after that he entered the world of special operations and served there for the remainder of his career, including...
Published 11/27/24
Frank Wright joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942, when he was just 16 years old. Before long, he became one of the famed Marine Raiders. After deploying first to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, Wright contracted malaria and had to spend time recovering. After that, he was part of Marine...
Published 11/20/24