He assumed command of the Marine detachment aboard the battleship USS Washington in May 1941 and participated in the Arctic convoys in the Norwegian Sea in April 1942.

[1][3][4] Hittle was promoted to the rank of major in August 1942 and ordered to the Division Officer's course at Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

While in this capacity, Hittle held additional duty as lecturer at Army and Navy Staff College in Washington, D.C., and received promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel in May 1944.

Hittle was responsible for the organization of supply routes, and units under his command brought approximately 20,000 tons of material, ammunitions and other provisions ashore.

[10][11] While in this assignment, Hittle had the opportunity to cooperate with great names of modern Marine history such as: Merrill B. Twining, Victor H. Krulak, Merritt A. Edson, Robert E. Hogaboom, James E. Kerr, James C. Murray, Jonas M. Platt, DeWolf Schatzel, Samuel R. Shaw, Robert D. Heinl, Edward H. Hurst or Marine Corps Reserve officers John R. Blandford, Arthur B. Hanson, Lyford Hutchins, and William McCahill.

[11] Within this capacity, Hittle was well acquainted with chairman of Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments, Clare Hoffman, and, as a result, was able to work closely with him until enactment of legislation.

His work eventually achieved official status when the commandant Vandegrift formally approved his duties with Hoffman as special advisor on the National Security Act of 1947.

While in this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in November 1951 and also earned master's degree in Oriental History and Geography at the end of his tenure with Naval ROTC unit.

Shortly after his retirement from the Marine Corps, Hittle was offered the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, which he held until November 1960.

[3] While served in the capacity as Director of national security of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Hittle received Ordre du Mérite combattant by the Government of France as a token of good will.

Hittle subsequently served as consultant to the commandant of the Marine Corps, Robert H. Barrow, until 1981 and then assumed duty as counselor to the Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman.

[2][8] In 1994, Hittle was given College of Arts & Letters Distinguished Alumni Award by the Michigan State University "for having differentiated himself by achieving the highest level of professional and personal accomplishments.