Career
He purchased many United States Navy ships in the early 1900s, converting some of them to merchant ships and scrapping others He was one of five known sons of Henry Adam Hitner, the company"s namesake. As early as April 1919, he was president of that company.
United States Ship Santee
United States Ship Holland
Yacht Columbia
United States Ship Wisconsin
United States Ship Nevada
United States Ship Raleigh
United States Ship South Carolina-1
United States Ship South Carolina-26
United States Ship Miantonomoh
All three World War I era Truxtun-class destroyers
Eleven of the thirteen World War I era Bainbridge-class destroyers.
