Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Share #1 Posted September 25, 2014 I am going to try and do my best to photograph and describe this group. I won this recently at auction, and without Tarbridge's help would not have got it. Just wanted to give a shout out to Robert for being a great guy. Here is a brief synopsis of his life ENSIGN JOSEPH PARKER HITTORFF JR., was born in December of 1916 in New York to Joseph and Ethel Hittorff. He spent some of his early childhood in Springfield MA, where, according to the 1920 census, his father was working as a commercial traveler in the coffee business. The Hittorff family, which included his older sister Marion, relocated to Westmont NJ. Joseph Hittorff Jr. graduated from Collingswood (NJ) High School in 1934. He was an Eagle Scout, and was the manager of his High school football team during his senior year. After high school, he attended the Brown Preparatory School for English and mathematics. He entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis MD in June 1936, and graduated in 1940. On July 1, 1940 he reported to the West Coast for his initial assignment. He was serving aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma when it was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Trapped below deck when the ship capsized, he was one of 20 officers and 395 enlisted men to die aboard the ship that day. Ensign Hittorff had completed all the requirements for promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade, but the commission had not come through at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. Besides the Purple heart, he was posthumously awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal, the American Defense Medal, and the Victory Medal. He was survived by his parents and sister, of 211 Virginia Avenue, in Westmont NJ. And now to the items...if anyone wants a close up of an item let me know and I will try and do my best...truly an honor to preserve his memory... Pete At a young age looks like he always wanted to be in the navy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted September 25, 2014 Here are some of his scouting items...he became an Eagle Scout in 1932 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted September 25, 2014 Scouting items Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted September 25, 2014 Eagle Scout badge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted September 25, 2014 On to the Naval Academy...graduated in the class of 1940...he kept incredible scrap books...and was a huge football fan...attended all of the Army Navy games... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted September 25, 2014 Share #6 Posted September 25, 2014 Absolutely superb grouping! Love the looks of it so far, can't wait for the rest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted September 25, 2014 Pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted September 25, 2014 His academy uniform Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted September 25, 2014 He received a varsity letter for soccer and lacrosse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted September 25, 2014 Soccer team photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted September 25, 2014 He loved Navy football and kept his programs and ticket stubs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted September 25, 2014 According to eyewitnesses he was in the engine room when the USS Oklahoma began to roll and was last seen trying to climb up a ladder.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted September 25, 2014 Cert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted September 25, 2014 Purple heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted September 25, 2014 Ensign Hittorff is currently unidentified along with about 400 of his shipmates...when the Oklahoma was salvaged in 1943 some of his personal items were returned to his family... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #16 Posted September 25, 2014 Ring class of 1940 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #17 Posted September 25, 2014 Paperwork Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hirsca Posted September 25, 2014 Share #18 Posted September 25, 2014 WOW!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #19 Posted September 25, 2014 More items Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #20 Posted September 25, 2014 Tough to read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #21 Posted September 25, 2014 Pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #22 Posted September 25, 2014 Those are some of the highlights I will get around to posting more when I can there are a lot of items...scrapbooks, yearbooks, about 200 letters, and lots of misc paperwork Thanks for looking for now Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #23 Posted September 25, 2014 Last for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brannan Posted September 25, 2014 Share #24 Posted September 25, 2014 I am glad that his memory and sacrifice are being preserved. Thank you for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share #25 Posted September 25, 2014 On last item his navy big guns medal, he kept a really incredible scrapbook of his cruise here a couple pages... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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