Van Vechten, Frederick

Frederick Van Vechten

Frederick Van Vechten was born May 4, 1916, to Frederick and Alma Newell van Vechten, at Little Falls, N.Y. He graduated from the Hotchkiss School in 1934. In Rye his family lived at 28 Walnut St. and were members of the Presbyterian Church.

Frederick received a bachelor's degree with honors from Yale University in 1938 and Yale Law School L.L.B. degree in 1941. That year, he joined the firm Webster & Sheffield in New York City.

Frederick served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and participated in the D- Day landing at Normandy on June 6, 1944. From 1942 until 1943, he served with naval intelligence, and then as commanding officer of the U.S.S. LCI 542, from 1944-45.

The USS LCI-542 (Landing Craft, Infantry) was a WWII amphibious vessel involved in the Normandy invasion (D-Day) in June 1944, landing troops directly onto Omaha Beach, a critical but costly operation. As part of the larger Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) fleet, its role was to deliver infantry, and its service earned it one battle star, read specific detailed records for this exact vessel the LST-542, highlighting the massive scale of the D-Day landings and the bravery of the crew.
(READ COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF The USS LCI-542 ON EXTENDED INFO TAB ABOVE)

USS LCI(L) 542 – Omaha Beach

After Action Reports
Western Task Force – D-Day – Battle of Normandy

AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS
INVASION OF NORTHERN FRANCE
WESTERN TASK FORCE
JUNE 6, 1944

From: (Lieut. Frederick Van Vechten) Commanding Officer USS LCI(L) 542 (OMAHA BEACH)

"Although twelve hours after H-hour, the beachhead did not appear well organized. There was only one visible beach marking; no shore parties were in evidence where this ship landed. There was little traffic control off the beach, and no channels were noticeable. LCI(L)s, LCTs, and other craft maneuvered haphazardly, frequently cutting across lines of approach. This ship beached upon receiving orders from the Senior Officer present in USS LCI(L) 420. Both convoy and far-shore radio frequencies were jammed continuously. No enemy air or naval craft were observed during the action."

Van Vechten Praises Service
Lieut. Frederick Van Vechten spoke briefly and praised the Red Cross with which he came in contact many times during his eleven months overseas as commanding officer of an LCI infantry landing craft . We sailed on March 1 of last year to land men on D-Day, June 6, and the wait was long and telling. England is a nice country and we enjoyed it, but it was not home. This is where the Red Cross was used to capacity. Even when we returned home, not ten feet from the dock was a Red Cross welcoming stand. The Red Cross means a lot to me, he said.
PAGE TWO THE RYE CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 1945

Frederick wrote a short book on LCI 542. History of U.S.S. LCI 542, 1943-1945. Frederick R. Van Vechten, Jr., USNR, (inactive). [New York: C.P. Young Co.] [1946?]. 36 pp., gray paper cover with black printing, 23.5 x 15.6 cm, photos, roster. NDL.

After the war, Frederick rejoined the law firm of Webster & Sheffield in New York City, where he made partner in 1961. He was a member of the New York, U.S., and Southern District and U.S. Second Circuit Court bars. He specialized in estates and trusts and served on numerous committees of the New York City Bar Association.

Frederick was active in Rye community affairs. He was a director, president from 1966 to 1969 of the Rye YMCA and he also served as trustee. From 1973 to 1976 he served as president and trustee of the Rye Historical Society; director of the Rye Community Concert Association; and trustee of the Rye Presbyterian Church.

In 1976, Frederick was awarded the Gold Man Recognition of the Rye YMCA for distinguished services rendered over three decades. He was also a member of the Apawamis Club of Rye and Manhattan and the St. Nicholas Society and the Yale Club, both of New York City.

Frederick Rust Van Vechten Jr., a partner in the Manhattan law firm of Webster & Sheffield who specialized in trusts and estates, died at St. Luke's Hospital on January 7,1991. He was 74 years old and lived in Rye, N.Y.

"He died of a heart attack after cardiac surgery", said a colleague, John V. Lindsay, the former New York City Mayor.

At the time of his death, he was survived by two sisters, Margaret L. van Vechten of Rye, and Katharine van Vechten Myers of Norwich, Vt.; and two nieces, Anne M. Evans of Rochester, N.Y., and Sara M. Gormley of Norwich, Vt.; and one nephew, Duncan M. Myers of Topanga, Calif.

After a one - day postponement of the invasion due to stormy weather, General Eisenhower gave the invasion force a “go.” At 0300, June 6, 1944, Group 35 consisting of LCIs 401, 403, 415, 416, 417, 418, 420, 537, 538, 539, 542, 556, led by Flotilla 12 Flagship, LCI 414, sailed in two columns with Task Group 126.3 towards the Normandy Coast. The task force was led by the Attack Cargo Ship USS Achernar (AKA-53) which was the command ship for the 1st Infantry Division. They were escorted by destroyers USS Maloy (DE 791), USS Ellyson (DD 454), two U.S. Patrol Crafts, two British 17 Elsie Item November 2016 Corvettes and one U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Vessel. At 1315 hours, they sighted the Cherbourg Peninsula. Upon reaching the assembly area, they observed a French cruiser pounding the enemy with its heavy guns. She had civilians onboard the fantail where a huge tri-color flag waved in the wind. After anchoring for only four minutes, Group 35 was commanded to sail towards the smoke shrouded Omaha Beach. LCIers donned antigas suits and at 1647 they were at General Quarters, three hundred yards off Easy Red and Fox Green sectors of Omaha Beach. At 1735, Lt. Commander Clinton Brown, ordered his Group 35 to begin the assault on the beaches.

At 1800, at low tide with obstacles exposed, LCI 542, commanded by Lt. (jg) Frederick Van Vechten, struck a sandbar in front of Easy Red beach and lowered ramps. Coxswain J. W. Roberts made two attempts, once from each ramp, to carry the man rope and grapnel to shore. During both attempts, he was swept down the beach in the current. Captain Ozell Smooth and his E Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th RCT was ordered aft to lift the bow but this effort failed. The 542 retracted and made another run for the beach. At 1826, she beached amongst sporadic mortar and artillery fire, and Boatswains Mate 2nd Class W. D. Beloin, lowered the ramps. Roberts, still soaking wet with his attempts at running the man rope and grapnel to shore on the first run, manned the starboard ramp controls and boosted the troop’s morale as he cheered and joked with them as they clambered down the ramp.

LCI 417, commanded by Ensign Elwyn G. Hughes, was close at port and LCI 93 which had been battered by enemy artillery fire hours before was stranded on the beach dead ahead. The tide was coming in fast. Nearby, destroyers provided close support. German planes bombed to port. The situation was tolerable until LCI 418, commanded by Lt. (jg) W.A. Smith, attempted to beach close by on starboard and the current swept the 418 towards the 542. The 418 port sponson caught a fantail chock of the 542 which pushed the stern of the 542 into the 417. The 542’s gasoline drum was broached and Ensign Herbert Hand jettisoned it and cut away the barrage balloon that was attracting enemy artillery fire. At 1840, the 542’s port ramp was disabled and three minutes later, the starboard ramp was carried away by the current. The 418 then became entangled in the anchor cable of the 542. Motor Machinist Mate 3rd Class Frederick Wicks was standing in gasoline covering the deck around the winch engine. The cable was so taut it was in danger of snapping. Seawater was splashing Wicks from incoming enemy shells as he calmly operated the winch and prevented the cable from parting and the ship from broaching. Alone and without communication with his officers on the conning tower, Frederick Wicks saved the 542.

At 1846, LCI 418 was clear of the 542 and the 542 began to retract from the beach. Three LCIs grouped together made a big target. As they retracted from the beach, a salvo of enemy mortar rounds struck the water where they had just vacated. Some of the rounds struck the dying LCI 93 which was stuck on the beach. The 542 had been beached for 20 frustrating and dangerous minutes. After retracting, the 542 reported to the Flotilla 12 Flagship, LCI 414 and was ordered to stand by near the command ship, USS Ancon.

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