WWII veteran James Lee Hutchinson devoted his life making sure other veteran’s stories are heard
James Lee Hutchinson, a 94-year-old retired teacher, has spent the last twenty years collecting and preserving stories of fellow WWII veterans.
Before Hutchinson was twenty years old, he had flown twenty bombing missions in the Mighty Eighth as a B-17 radio/operator, was a gunner in the Eighth Army Air Corps, part of the 490th Bomb Group, earned the air medal with two leaf clusters, and more.
In June 1987, Hutchinson retired from teaching and began writing about his experiences in combat. In 2005, he published his combat diary, “Through These Eyes.” Since then, he has made it his mission to share not only his own experiences but more than 200 WWII combat stories he has gathered from the interviews and diaries of aircrews. Two of his books, “Boys in the B-17” and “B-17 Memories”, were placed in the National Air Force Research Library in Dayton, Ohio by Senator Brent Steele.
Hutchinson now has six self-published books, two of which he illustrated, and is continuing to write and speak at age 94. You can find Hutchinson’s books and free videos below online:
Books:
“B-17 Memories”
“Boys in the B-17”
“Through These Eyes”
“Bombs Away!”
“On Leatherwood Creek”
“Hutch’s Rainbow Bridge”
Videos:
“Tales from the Greatest Generation with James Lee Hutchinson”
“Hutch-B-17 Flak and Fighters”
INPRS Lobby Reopens to Limited Services
We have great news! The INPRS lobby has opened to limited services and will remain open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Members will be able to connect with the INPRS Retirement and Financial Education team in person for the following services:
- Verification of benefits
- PIN requests/account login assistance
- Scheduling for counseling/webinars/events
- General plan questions and account information – years of service, DC balances, retirement eligibility
- Benefit estimates
- Quarterly/Annual Statement questions
- Duplicate 1099s
The INPRS lobby cannot offer or assist members with:
- Walk-in appointments
- Account updates – banking/address/tax withholding/beneficiary/investment allocation changes – unless the member has already registered their secure online account access.
- Distribution requests
We look forward to seeing members in person, should that be your preference. As always, our team is available for virtual appointments. You can register for a one-on-one appointment or webinar here.
Legislative changes coming July 1, 2021
Be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming legislative changes coming July 1, 2021, that may affect you. Stay tuned to see these changes posted under our newsletters section here!
COLA approved for retired 1977 Fund members
Retired 1977 Fund members will receive a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 1.9% this year. Retired, disabled, and surviving beneficiaries of members of the fund will also receive this increase. The 1.9% COLA becomes effective with the July 15, 2021 pay date.
Why have an emergency savings fund?
An emergency savings fund is essentially money that you set aside to cover any unplanned expenses. This money allows you to keep going should you lose income or encounter a large expense. With it you can protect your assets while avoiding debt. Think of it as your personal finance insurance policy. Although easier said than done, especially if you have a lot of debt or live on a fixed income, the good news is that with a little effort and a few tips to find extra cash, it is possible. Read more here.