Albert Thomas Hittle was born at Good Hope, rural Castana, Monona County, Iowa on January 24, 1897. He was graduated from Mapleton High School in 1915 and was employed as a farmer. He was a resident of rural Leeds (Sioux City) Iowa when he enlisted in the 2nd Infantry Regiment, Iowa National Guard on 2 May, 1917 at Sioux City. After being sworn into federal service at Camp Dodge, Iowa, the regiment was entrained to Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico. Upon arrival at Camp Cody, the regiment was re-designated as the 34th Infantry Division (federal). Private A.T. Hittle was assigned to that Division's 127th Machine Gun Battalion. A.T. Hittle was promoted to Corporal on 16 January 1918 by Special Order 16, 34th Division. The division remained in training at Camp Cody until the late summer and fall of 1918, when it commenced movement overseas by units to England. Corporal Hittle departed for overseas service on 2 October, 1918. Upon arrival in England, Corporal Hittle was assigned to L Company, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division. When almost three quarters of the 34th Division had arrived in the UK, the War Department decided that the division would not be needed in France and the 34th Division was de-activated. Soldiers already in England were assigned to casual detachments and sent to the front as replacements. Corporal Hittle arrived in France with the 467th Casual Detachment and from there was assigned to L Company, 168th Infantry, 42nd Division in the Meuse-Argonne sector, arriving at the front between 1-2 November. He participated in the assault on Sedan, the last major operation of the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Immediately after the armistice was called on 11 November, the 168th Infantry proceeded on a force march through southern Belgium across Luxembourg and into Germany. The 168th took up garrison post at Niederzeissen, on the Rhine, where it remained until the spring of 1919. Returning to Camp Dodge with the regiment in the spring, Corporal Hittle was honorably discharged 22 May 1919. Corporal Hittle remained in civilian life, employed as a mechanic and businessmen until 1942, when he joined the Department of the Army as an instructor. He served at Camp Crook, Omaha, Nebraska from 1942-1945, at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii Territory, 1945-1949, and at Port Hueneme, California, 1950, when he left government service. He was a charter member of Edward Monhan Post, American Legion, Sioux City, Iowa, and the Rainbow Division Veterans Association. Albert T. Hittle died 7 September, 1960 as was buried with full military honors at St. Peter Catholic Church Cemetary, Jefferson South Dakota.

Albert T. Hittle 42nd (Rainbow) Division Veteran