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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive



Ship's patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Vreeland (DE 1068)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - M - A - P
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Style Show", later changed to "Red Cross"


Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon
Second Row: Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ oak leaf cluster - Navy Unit Commendation w/ 1 star - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Third Row: Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3) - Navy Expeditionary Medal w/ 2 stars - National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star
Fourth Row: Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal - Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ 2 stars - Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 5 stars
Fifth Row: CG Special Operations Service Ribbon - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)


"Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt"
(Where Duty and Glory Lead)
Specifications:
Class: Knox
Type: SCB No. 199C / 1964
Number in Class: 46
Displacement: 3020 tons (std), 4065 tons (full)
Length: 415' (wl), 438' (oa)
Beam: 46' 9" (extreme)
Draft: 24' 9" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 Combustion Engineering 1200psi boilers; 1 Westinghouse geared turbine; 35,000 shp; 1 shaft
Speed: 27 kts
Range: 4,500 nm @ 20 knots
Complement: 16 / 211
Missiles: 1 8-tube Mk25 Sea Sparrow BPDMS in DE 1052-1069, 1071-1083, 1 8-tube Mk29 NATO Sea Sparrow IPDMS in DE 1070, Harpoon missiles from modified ASROC launcher
Guns: 1 x 5"/54 cal. DP Mk 42 (600 rds)
ASW Weapons: 1 Mk16 ASROC launcher (16 missiles), 4-12.75" (324mm) Mk 32 (4x1 fixed) tubes / Mk 46 torpedos (6)
Radars: AN/SPS-10 (surface), AN/SPS-40 (air), AN/SPS-58 threat warning in some ships
Sonars: AN/SQS-26CX, AN/SQS-35 IVDS in FF-1052, 1056, 1063-1071, 1073-1076, 1078-1097
Fire Control Systems: Mk68 Mod. 11/13/14 Gun FCS, Mk114 Mod 14/16 ASW FCS
Helicopter: 1 - SH-2 LAMPS Helicopter
Vreeland (DE 1068) Building and Operational Data:
  • 20 March 1968: Keel laid by the Avondale Shipyard at Westwego, La.
  • 16 June 1969: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Rebecca (Thompson) Whitten, wife of Jamie L. Whitten, Congressman (D-MS2), longest serving member of Congress
  • 13 June 1970: Commissioned at Charleston, S.C., Cmdr. D.R. Stefferud in command, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 4 (DesDiv 41) at Charleston
  • .. September 1972: Homeport assignment changed to Athens, Greece
  • 30 June 1975: Reclassified Frigate (FF 1068)
  • .. July 1975: Homeport assignment changed back to Charleston, S.C.
  • January 1977: Homeport assignment changed to Mayport, Fla.
  • 30 June 1992: Decommissioned at Mayport, Fla. after 22 years and ½ month of service
  • 25 July 1992: Leased to Greece, renamed HS Makedonia (F-458)
  • 11 January 1995: Struck from the NVR
  • January 1999: Decommissioned by the Greek Navy, placed in reserve
  • 09 Feb 2001: Permanently transferred to Greece under Grant Aid
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Vreeland
    0602106801
    86k Charles E. Vreeland was born on 10 March 1852 at Newark, N.J. He enlisted in the Navy as a naval apprentice early in 1866. After service in Sabine, he was appointed a midshipman at the Naval Academy on 27 July 1866. On 7 June 1870, he graduated as a passed midshipman and reported aboard the screw sloop California. He was detached from that ship and proceeded to serve in Severn, then Congress, cruising in the South Atlantic. He was later made a cruise to European waters in Brooklyn. In July 1873, he completed his post-sea duty examination in October and returned to sea in Powhattan, receiving his commission as an ensign. Successive tours in Alert, Ashuelot, and Ticonderoga followed; and he received promotions to master and then to lieutenant. In November 1881, he was posted to the Nautical Almanac Office. In March 1884, Lt. Vreeland began a three-year tour in Hartford, then to the Bureau of Navigation for a two-year assignment. Upon leaving that duty, he took torpedo instruction at Newport, R.I. Then, a brief assignment with the Office of Naval Intelligence preceded his reporting to the Coast Survey late in October. That lasted until orders sent him to Europe as naval attache, first at Rome, then at Vienna, and finally in Berlin.

    Lt. Vreeland returned home in 1896, and served in battleship Massachusettsuntil transferred to Helena at the end of June. He was ordered to Dolphin as executive officer in April 1898, but he did not actually assume those duties until 24 August, serving in Helena through most of the brief Spanish-American War on blockade duty off Cuba until July. After Dolphin, he was ordered to Concord. In March 1899, he became Lt. Comdr. Vreeland and, after completing assignments in Concord, Monterey, and Baltimore on the Asiatic station, he returned home in March 1900. In April, he joined the Board of Inspection and Survey and was promoted to full commander in August 1901. In August 1902, he took charge of fitting out of the "New Navy" monitor Arkansas (later to be renamed Ozark) at Newport News, Va. When she was placed in commission on 28 October, he assumed command. After two years, he left Arkansas, and served ashore, performing various special duties for the Navy Department. He was a member of the board studying proposed changes to the New York Navy Yard. He was next assigned special duty in the Office of the Ass't Secretary of the Navy. While assigned to the Navy Department in Washington, he was promoted to captain. On 18 April 1907 he placed Kansas(BB-21) in commission at Camden, N.J. and commanded her for the next two years during the cruise of the "Great White Fleet" around the world. Soon after the Fleet returned to Hampton Roads in February 1909, he commanded the Office of Naval Intelligence until 8 December 1909. Then promoted to rear admiral imminent, he broke his flag in Virginia (BB-13) as Commander, 4th Division, Atlantic Fleet. On 19 April 1911, he reported ashore for further duty in Washington as Aide for Inspections, he approached the pinnacle of naval command. He became one of the four principal advisors of the Secretary of the Navy, George von L. Meyer, under the newly devised aide system for managing the Navy. During his tenure in that office, Radm. Vreeland represented the Navy Department at the coronation of King George V of England and headed up the so-called "Vreeland Board" which reinvestigated the Maine disaster of 1898. The controversial report of that board, now considered erroneous, concluded that an external explosion sank the warship.

    On 12 December, Radm. Vreeland ended his tour of duty as Aide for Inspections and succeeded Radm Richard Wainwright as the Secretary's second Aide for Operations, the forerunner to today's office of Chief of Naval Operations. He struggled to improve the defenses in the Philippines, agitated for increased naval construction, particularly of battle cruisers, and supported the development of American naval aviation. During his tenure as Aide for Operations, naval aviation found a permanent home at Pensacola, Fla. On 11 February 1913, Rear Admiral Vreeland relinquished his duties as Aide for Operations to Radm. Bradley A. Fiske, the third and last man to hold the office under that title. He finished out his naval career as a member of both the General and Joint Boards. On 10 March 1914, he was transferred to the retired list. On 27 September 1916, after a retirement plagued by illness, Rear Admiral Vreeland died at Atlantic City, N.J.

    USS Vreeland (DE 1068) was the first ship to be named in his honor.      (Photo from Adjutant General's Office (Spanish-American War), State of New Jersey.)
    Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Vreeland
    0602106822
    316k 06 June 1969: Westwego, La. - The future USS Vreeland (DE 1068) is gaily decorated for the launching ceremony at Avondale Shipyards, Inc.

    (U.S. Navy National Archives photo #USN 1140972 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    Vreeland
    0602106817
    112k 16 June 1969: Westwego, La. - Mrs. Rebecca (Thompson) Whitten breaks the traditional bottle of champaign over the bow of the future USS Vreeland (DE 1068), commencing the launch process for the new destroyer escort. S. Dale Hargrave
    Newport News, Va.
    Vreeland
    0602106815
    378k 16 June 1969: Westwego, La. - Two views of Vreeland being side-launched at Avondale Shipyards.
    Vreeland
    0602106816
    438k
    Vreeland
    0602106820
    305k circa 1972: Charleston, S.C. - USS Vreeland (DE 1068) moored outboard of USS Macdonough (DLG 8) at the Charleston Naval Station.

    (U.S. Navy photo from the Ted Stone Photo Collection, Universal Ship Cancellation Society)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    Vreeland
    0602106823
    630k 04 August 1973: at sea - USS Vreeland (DE 1068) underway in the Mediterranean Sea.

    (U.S. Navy National Archives photo #KN-20983 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Vreeland
    0602106803
    125k June 1974: Kiel, Germany - Vreeland moored while on a port visit.
    (Taken by me)
    Gerhard L. Mueller-Debus
    Frankfurt a.M., Germany
    Vreeland
    0602106821
    160k undated: at sea - USS Vreeland (DE 1068) underway prior to her 1981 overhaul that replaced the fantail Sea Sparrow launched with CIWS.

    (U.S. Navy photo by PH3 E.M. Drahos from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    Vreeland
    0602106802
    112k USS Vreeland (DE 1068) shown previous to 1980-81 overhaul at Bath Ironworks. Craig Vance
    Captain, USN
    Vreeland
    0602106804
    144k Vreeland shown after 1980-81 overhaul at Bath Ironworks. Hurricane bow, WLR-1 ESM, and blast shield for Tartar-in-the-Box have been installed.
    Vreeland
    0602106805
    21k undated, but after 1980-81 overhaul Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Vreeland
    0602106812
    224k 01 January 1987: location unknown - A view of the frigate USS Aylwin (FF 1081), the destroyer tender USS Shenandoah (AD 44) and the frigate USS Vreeland (FF 1068) at anchor. The Shenandoah is performing repairs on Aylwin and Vreeland.

    (U.S. Navy photo VIRIN #DN-SC-88-04641 by PH3 Don Koralewski from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    Vreeland
    0602106818
    481k 31 October 1987: At sea - A port bow view of the frigate USS Vreeland (FF 1068) participating in an underway replenishment with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-88-02185 by PH3 D. E. Houser from the Defense Visual Information Center)
    Vreeland
    0602106806
    416k 19 November 1987: At sea - A port bow view of Vreeland underway.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-88-01995 by PH2 Tracy Lee Didas from the Defense Visual Information Center)
    Vreeland
    0602106807
    514k 19 November 1987: At sea - An elevated port bow view of Vreeland underway.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-88-01994 by PH2 Tracy Lee Didas from the DVIC)
    Vreeland
    0602106814
    234k circa 1987 - 1988: Marseilles, France - Vreeland moored at Marseilles outboard of USS Caloosahatchee (AO 98) and USS Yosemite (AD 19).

    (Photo by Philippe Gonzales)
    Philippe Gonzales
    Vreeland
    0602106808
    400k 26 February 1988: At sea - Vreeland comes alongside the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-90-04328 by PH2 Tracy Lee Didas from the DVIC)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    Vreeland
    0602106813
    171k 01 March 1988: at sea - A starboard beam view of the frigates USS Vreeland (FF 1068) and USS Paul (FF 1080) underway.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-88-05374 by PH1 Bean from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Vreeland
    0602106824
    650k 01 March 1988: at sea - A starboard beam view of the frigate USS Vreeland underway. The frigate USS Paul (FF 1080) and an unidentified Spruance class destroyer are in the background.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DN-SC-88-05375 by PH1 Bean from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    Vreeland
    0602106809
    642k 01 July 1988: in the Mediterranean - A starboard beam view of Vreeland Med moored. The Vreeland is attached to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Battle Group, which is assigned to the Mediterranean on extended deployment.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-89-00048 by PH2 Jones from the DVIC)
    Vreeland
    0602106819
    338k 15 February 1991: James Kelvin, British leading diver with the Royal Navy's logistic landing ship RFA Sir Galahad (L-3005), converses with Operations Specialist 2nd Class (SW) John Lewis from the frigate USS Vreeland (FF-1068) during a port call, their first since the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-91-05309 by CWO2 Ed Bailey from the DVIC)
    Vreeland
    0602106810
    207k 04 January 1992: Naval Station Mayport, Fla. - The guided missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), left, and Vreeland lie tied up at the naval station.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-92-04774 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC)
    Vreeland
    0602106811
    228k 04 January 1992: Naval Station Mayport, Fla. - The guided missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), left, and Vreeland lie tied up at the naval station.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-92-04776 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC)

    Vreeland Memorabilia
    Ship's Plaque

    Vreeland
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Ship's Lighter,
    Silver (front)
    Vreeland
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Ship's Lighter,
    Silver (back)
    Vreeland
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Ship's Lighter,
    Black
    Vreeland
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Desert Storm
    Trading Card
    Vreeland
    Courtesy of
    Tommy Trampp

    Vreeland History
    View the USS Vreeland (DE 1068) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.

    Vreeland's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.)  13 Jun. 1970 - 29 Nov. 1971Cmdr. David Roberts Stefferud (ROTC '54) (Minneapolis, Minn.)
    2.)  29 Nov. 1971 - 28 Sep. 1972Cmdr. Cyrus Robert Christensen
    3.)  28 Sep. 1972 - 27 Sep. 1974Cmdr. Stephen Vanhekle Snyder (York, Pa.)
    4.)  27 Sep. 1974 - 08 Oct. 1976Cmdr. Michael Thomas Midas Jr.
    5.)  08 Oct. 1976 - 17 Jan. 1979Cmdr. Thomas Edward Gill II
    6.)  17 Jan. 1979 - 24 Feb. 1981Cmdr. Paul Philip Aquilino
    7.)  24 Feb. 1981 - 17 Dec. 1982Cmdr. Ronald Joel Calhoun (USNA '63) (Murray, Ky.)
    8.)  17 Dec. 1982 - 28 Aug. 1984Cmdr. John Michael Miller (OCS '62) (Wadsworth, Oh.)
    9.)  28 Aug. 1984 - 04 Dec. 1986Cmdr. Thomas Joseph Barry
    10.) 04 Dec. 1986 - 23 Feb. 1989Cmdr. William D. Orr
    11.) 23 Feb. 1989 - 15 Feb. 1991Cmdr. Randall Ray Brown (Jamestown, N.Y.)
    12.) 15 Feb. 1991 - 30 Jun. 1992Cmdr. Jesse Johnston Kelso

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information

    18 - 21 September 2014 at San Diego, Cal.
    Contact Name: Mark Smith

    Address: 3617 Welwyn Way
    City/State: Bedford TX 76021
    Cell: 817-454-5051
    E-mail: mlsmith100000@aol.com
    Note About Contacts

    Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
    made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
    a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists or rosters available. Please see the Frequently Asked
    Questions section on Navsource's Main Page for that information.


    Additional Resources

    Carmen Peterson's USS Vreeland Site
    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    To The DE, FF, LCS Photo Index Page
    Back To The Main Photo Index

    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail: Webmaster.

    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 16 April 2020