Lot 515

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Description:

(LT. COL. MEYER J. FRECHIE) ‘OPERATION OVERLORD' BRITISH MILITARY PUBLICATIONS
Lt. Col. Meyer J. Frechie (1907 - 1988) held one of the most important positions in the planning, execution, and follow-up of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, namely, complete oversight and coordination of the transportation logistics for men and materiel for the D-Day invasion. Frechie, a Jewish graduate of the Wharton School of Business, worked as a traffic manager for the railroad and steamship industries before the war. After the U.S. entry into World War II, the military actively courted Frechie for his skill in transportation logistics. He was eventually put in charge of coordinating the covert transport of Allied servicemen and supplies from England to Normandy for D-Day. According to the lengthy text accompanying his citation for the Legion of Merit, Frechie: ‘…was responsible for the movement of all troops, vehicles, equipment and supplies for movement ‘OVERLORD'…'. This extraordinary grouping contains four publications from the British military and Lt. Col. Frechie. The first publication is entitled ‘Combined Operations 1942', containing 42 pamphlets issued in 1942 and 1943, 8vo. bound with blue string, all relating to the preparation of the Battle of Normandy, codenamed ‘Operation Overlord'. The cover bears warning stamps ‘NOT TO BE PUBLISHED' and ‘THE DOCUMENTS CONTAINED MUST NOT FALL INTO ENEMY HANDS', further stamped with Frechie's name. His name also appears at the top right of each individual pamphlet. Some of the topics these pamphlets cover include: ‘Beach Organization and Maintenance', ‘Military Communications in Combined Operations', ‘Responsibilities for the Loading and Discharging of Ships and Craft', ‘Landing Craft Tank', ‘RN Beach Commandos', ‘Armored Fighting Vehicles', ‘Infantry', and more. Illustrated with some photos and several fold-out diagrams. The second publication is titled ‘DETAILS OF COMBINED OPERATIONS MAJOR AND MINOR LANDING CRAFT/LANDING BARGES/SMALL BOATS/AMPHIBIANS', 174pp. 8 x 13 in., marked on the cover ‘Copy No. 538' and dated ‘June 1943' with Frechie's name, title and APO number. A warning label stamped at the top reads: ‘This book is invariably to be kept locked up when not in use, and it is not to be taken outside the Ship or Establishment for which it has been issued without the express permission of the Commanding Officer'. The ‘SECRET' label is seen on both the paste down and the second page. This is a heavily illustrated publication showing photos and diagrams of various landing craft. The third publication is titled ‘CHARACTERISTICS OF LANDING BARGES/CRAFTS/SHIPS/VEHICLES – TRANSPORTATION CORPS', 122pp. 8 x 13 in., dated Aug. 26, 1944. Twice marked ‘CONFIDENTIAL' on each page including the cover, this book details the characteristics of different craft with 66 pages of text and 56 pages of b/w photos. The fourth publication is by Frechie himself and titled ‘Historical Critique of the UNITED KINGDOM OVERLORD MOVEMENT', dated Nov. 1, 1945, London, 126pp. 8 x 13 in., staple bound. The first page is a copy of a letter from Frechie to Maj. Gen. Frank S. Ross, London, Nov. 1, 1945, to which he sends this report. The first page relays the mission of the Transportation Corps, in part: ‘...Therefore, it would be necessary to evolve and conceive a plan of movement suitable for application under large scale combat conditions. The plan called for the movement and embarkation of the largest and most formidable amphibious force the world had known at that time. This was to be followed by a tremendous build-up program. It was to be a joint land-sea-air operation conducted initially by US-British forces based in the UK. For security reasons the operation was referred to as ‘Overlord'. The Operational Branch then [of which officer Frechie was chief], was activated for the express purpose of planning and directing the ‘movements' activities of the Transportation Corps, ETOUSA, in connection with ‘Overlord'...'. Accompanying this lot are approx. 32 copies of V-mail letters from Frechie to his wife during 1942 and 1943. A few of the letters read, in part: ‘...There was no mail for me today...I have received the $110.00, I will buy bonds as usual...The Christmas card you sent me was nice but the thoughts it conveyed were beautiful...I did ask you sometime ago to try to estimate your costs per month...I know prices have advanced...If something happened to me and your folks were no longer there with you, would the...income per month be adequate...stopped at the army dentist...insisted...I am brushing my teeth wrong...got a shot of tetanus...I wonder if you can realize how much I miss the two of you and how deeply I love you...had a free supper last night at the American Red Cross nurses club here...'. Regrettably, some of the pages have stuck together. Overall, an impressive grouping in very good condition.

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November 29, 2023 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

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$2,000 $4,999 $250
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