Army Pvt. Timothy J. Hutton

Died August 4, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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21, of Dillon, Mont.; assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade, Bamberg, Germany; died Aug. 4 in Baghdad of injuries sustained in a non-combat-related incident.

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Noncombat injuries claim Montanan in Iraq

The Associated Press

DILLON, Mont. — A soldier from this southwestern Montana town has died in Iraq, from injuries not related to combat, the Defense Department said Wednesday.

Army Pvt. Timothy J. Hutton, 21, died Monday in Baghdad. Information about the circumstances of his death was not released by the military, which said an investigation was under way.

Hutton’s grandmother, Karin Malesich of Dillon, said he joined the Army in January and had been in Iraq only a couple of weeks.

“He loved fishing and floating the river,” said Malesich, who raised her grandson. “His dream that he talked about was that when he got of the service he was going to build a cabin next to a fishing stream. That was his dream, but that’s not going to happen now.”

Malesich said signs with the message “We Love You Timmy” began appearing in Dillon after word of his death spread. His grandfather, Malesich’s former husband, is Dillon Mayor Marty Malesich. The mayor referred a reporter’s call to Karin Malesich.

She said Hutton, who did not complete high school, learned carpentry through the Job Corps. He was enthusiastic about the Army, and a desire to see more of the world was one of the reasons he joined, said Malesich. She was informed of his death on Monday, one day after she and Hutton spoke by phone.

“He told me he was doing fine and not to worry about him,” she said.

Survivors in addition to his grandparents in Dillon include mother Sonya Miller of Dillon; father Albert Hutton of Fairbanks, Alaska; sister Christine Hutton of Missoula; and aunt Ingrid Malesich of Dillon.

Arrangements for a military service in Dillon were pending at Brundage Funeral Home. Karin Malesich said cremated remains will be taken to Alaska later.

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Services held for Dillon soldier who died in Iraq

The Associated Press

DILLON, Mont. — Friends and family gathered in Dillon on Thursday to pay their respects to a Montana soldier who died in Iraq from injuries not related to combat.

Army Pvt. Timothy J. Hutton, 21, of Dillon, died in Baghdad on Aug. 4. Information about the circumstances of his death has not been released by the military, which said an investigation was underway.

“I’m so proud of that young man,” Navy veteran Al Lawson said. “He has been a very good example of what the military is all about.”

Nearly 100 people gathered at Hutton’s funeral before his body was taken to Mountain View Cemetery for a full military graveside service. His cremated remains are expected to be taken to Alaska, where his father is from.

Hutton joined the Army in January and had been in Iraq only a couple of weeks.