USS Hutchins Reunion
DD-476
Lancaster, PA
2006
On behalf grandfather (Charles Land) and I would like to thank the Vasko Family for hosting the 2006 the USS Hutchins reunion. These past few years that I have attended the either banquets or accompanied my grandfather on trips that were arranged for the members of the Hutchins which I have enjoyed sharing those moments with him and his fellow shipmates. This year the reunion afforded me a special opportunity to share with my grandfather that I would like to share with his shipmates and their families.
On the fourth day of the reunion my grandfather and I along with Walt Winchowky made a trip out to the Battle Fields of Gettysburg, PA. We set out around 9:00am and it rained most of the way to Gettysburg, but stopped just before arriving at 10:30am. My grandfather and I had a special interest as soon as we arrived at the Museum; we were looking for any records of his Great, Great Grandfather, Benjamin H. Jenkins PA 3rd Calvary Unit Company “A”. I went to the ranger behind the counter and told him who we were looking for and he pointed us in the direction we may be able to find his name. We took a brief tour of the museum and went to the gift shop to purchase an audio CD tour of the battlefield. The young gentleman behind the counter was dressed in period Union Blues requested Autographs for my grandfather and Walt along with the ships name. He was intrigued by the story behind the Hutchins. We then began our tour of the Battle Fields with our first stop being the first engagements on the first day of battle with Southern infantry engaging Dis-Mounted Calvary led by General Buford later joined by Union Corp Commander General Reynolds Corp in which he was killed in action on this day. We proceeded through the tour making various stops at the many monuments through out the park. Both Northern and Southern States have monuments through out the park as well as individual and regimental monuments honoring those who bravely fought on these grounds. As we neared the end of our tour we approached the State of Pennsylvania Monument, the largest in the park for good reason. Of all the states Pennsylvania fielded the largest amount of fighting men for the Army Of the Potomac and this was home ground for them. I thought the task of finding one name among thousands would take considerable amount of time but the monument was divided into Infantry, Calvary, and Commanding Officers. I went to the second tier of the monument and there I found The name we were looking for on the left near the rear; At the top read 3rd Calvary and listed the companies and listed in Company “A” under the privates was B. H. Jenkins. I then found my grandfather and we went together to mark another first moment for both of us. I have always been fascinated with the Civil War and in particularly the battle of Gettysburg and now I have a treasured memory of our first trip to the Battle Fields and a connection with such a sacred place in our history.
Sincerely
Joe Hoban