Colonel (Ret.) Frederick Emil Bittl

Colonel (Ret.) Frederick Emil Bittl, 83, of Columbus, GA passed away Tuesday, August 02, 2016 at his residence in Columbus, GA.  A graveside service will be held at the Main Post Cemetery in Fort Benning, GA on Friday, August 05, 2016 beginning at 10:00 A.M. EST with The Reverend Patrick Bittl officiating.   

Colonel Bittl was born October 7, 1932 in New York, New York to the parents of the late Emil Bittl and Lena Bittl.  He graduated from the City of College of New York with a degree in Civil Engineering and received his Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University.  He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and the Command Staff College.

Colonel Bittl was a Veteran of the United States Army, where he proudly served his country in the Corps of Engineers for thirty-three years.  He has been stationed all over the world, including North Carolina, Iowa, Virginia, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Georgia, Hawaii, Germany, and Korea.  His dedicated service included a tour in the Vietnam War.  He loved the Army and his family was excited for the promise of adventure each new assignment would bring.

Honors/Recognition:  Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Superior Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star, Army Service Ribbon, Oversea Service Ribbon and Bar, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Badge with Palm, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and many other honors and awards.

Other than his parents, Colonel Bittl is predeceased by his sister, Margaret Gammon, and a nephew, Steven Gammon.

Survivors include his loving wife of sixty years, Ilse Bittl; two daughters:  Theresa Sandburg (Rob) of Auburn, AL and Deborah Hembree (Michael) of Birmingham, AL; two sons:  Patrick Bittl (Sheila) of Fortson, GA and Richard Bittl of Columbus, GA; and four grandchildren:  Samantha Lesniak, Alexa Lesniak, Matthew Hembree and Mia Hembree, all of Birmingham, AL. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 or visit the website to make an on-line donation at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.