John William Ditter Sr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 17th district
In office March 4, 1933 – November 21, 1943
Preceded by	Frederick William Magrady
Succeeded by	Samuel K. McConnell, Jr.
Personal details
Born	(1888-09-05)September 5, 1888 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	November 21, 1943(1943-11-21) (aged 55) Columbia, Pennsylvania
Political party	Republican

John William Ditter Sr. (September 5, 1888 – November 21, 1943) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Biography

John William Ditter Sr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 5, 1888. He graduated from the Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia in 1913. He worked as a professor of history and commerce in Philadelphia high schools from 1912 to 1925. In 1925 he moved to Ambler, Pennsylvania, and commenced the practice of law. He served as workmen's compensation referee for eastern Pennsylvania in 1929.

Ditter was elected as a Republican to the Seventy-third from the 17th District of Pennsylvania and to the five succeeding Congresses. During his years in Washington, Ditter served on the House Committee on Appropriations. He also was a member of the subcommittee on Navy Department appropriation bills, and at the time of his death was ranking minority member. He served until his death in an airplane crash near Columbia, Pennsylvania. He is buried in Whitemarsh Memorial Cemetery in Prospectville, Pennsylvania.

His son, John William Ditter Jr. was a federal judge, serving on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Namesake

USS J. William Ditter (DM-31) was named for him.

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49)

References

• United States Congress. "J. William Ditter (id: D000363)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-5-18
• The Political Graveyard
• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.