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Forum:	Stamps %7CAMP%7C Covers
Topic:	Armstrong Air %7CAMP%7C Space %7CAPO%7CFrogmen%7CAPO%7C covers

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Your Reply: HTML is ON UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend	[QUOTE]Originally posted by thisismills: [B]At the last minute on Friday my schedule cleared and I was able to visit Wapakoneta for the Summer Moon Festival on the 16th. I then decided to drive back on the 20th to visit the museum to see the recently added artifacts on display. On the 16th, all four frogmen were in downtown Wapakoneta in a hospitality tent at the intersection of Willipie St. and Auglaize St. After being introduced by the emcee, each individually spoke without a prepared script or visual presentation. They shared many stories about the Apollo 11 recovery, training exercises, and time spent in the military (Vietnam War). Questions were asked on the fly and each took turns building off of (or correcting) what the others remembered about what happened, in a very light-hearted joking manner. You could tell this was the first time they had all been back together in the same place in a long time and wanted to give each other a "hard time." After the stories and questions finished, each person was encouraged to step up to the front and have an item signed by all four. For those not bringing an item there were free printed photo collages or a color postcard of the recovery. <center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers01-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers01-lg.jpg" width="400" width="214"></a></center> Each person was limited to two signed items, which were all to be inscribed "To". About 50 people attended but was hard to know really as many passers-by stopped in only for a few minutes and did not sit down for the full duration. On the 20th, a representative from the USPS office in Wapakoneta was inside at the entrance to the museum from 11am to 1pm. He did not have a pictorial cancellation for this event, just the standard date stamp device found at the postal counter. Once you purchased the frogman cachet envelopes pre-stamped from the gift shop at $2 each, he would cancel them for you while you waited. He also cancelled other items if you brought them in. If you visit the museum I suspect they will have some extras as they still have them for sale from past years (I saw July 20th covers from 2019 and 2020 for sale in the gift shop). <center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers02-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers02-lg.jpg" width="400" width="225"></a></center> Only Mike Mallory was there at the museum at 2pm and gave a pre-prepared PowerPoint presentation. It was one photo per slide with a description which covered the topics of training exercises and the Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 recoveries in which he participated. He introduced each photo, told stories, and answered questions afterwards. Each person was encouraged to step up to the front and have one item signed if they wanted to. For those not bringing an item there were the same free printed photo collages as before. About 40 people attended.[/B][/QUOTE]
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<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="600"><TR><td bgcolor="#000000"><TABLE BORDER=0 cellpadding=4 border=0 cellspacing=1 WIDTH="100%"><TR bgcolor="#660000"><TD COLSPAN=2><CENTER>T O P I C     R E V I E W</CENTER></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>During the 2021 Wapakoneta (Ohio) <A HREF="https://summermoonfestival.com/" TARGET=_blank>Summer Moon Festival</A>, all four of the Apollo 11 frogmen will be reunited for the first time since they worked together to recover Columbia and the three astronauts in 1969. Mike Mallory, Clancy Hattleberg, Wes Chesser and John Wolfram will deliver presentations and meet and greet attendees.The U.S. Postal Service will be at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to cancel the Armstrong Air & Space Museum's "The Year of the Frogmen" covers. There is no word yet whether there will be a pictorial postmark in use.The covers will be available via the museum's gift shop for $2 each. <center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/armstrong_air_space_frogmen_covers01-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/armstrong_air_space_frogmen_covers01.jpg" width="400" height="400" border="0"></a></center></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Ken Havekotte</TD><TD>It's so good to hear the names of the Apollo 11 splashdown "frogmen" that were assigned to man's first lunar landing return on July 24, 1969, operating from the USS Hornet (CVS-12) aircraft carrier while on station in the Pacific Ocean, south west of Hawaii. Pictured below are just a few signed Apollo 11 splashdown related postal covers. As it turns out, I did have a Navy-cachet Hornet at-sea cover that has already been autographed by the four frogmen. Signing the official rubber stamp cachet cover was Clancy Hattleberg (signing as Clancy H.), the first frogman to reach the Apollo 11 crew in their command module spacecraft, Wes Chesser, Mike G. Mallory, and John M. Wolfram, all of the US Navy Apollo recovery team.<center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/kenhavekotte/apollo11_frogmen_covers01-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/kenhavekotte/apollo11_frogmen_covers01.jpg" width="400" height="300" border="0"></a></center>Other signed recovery covers featured are signed by the prime ship's captain, the air bosses of the two prime Navy pickup helicopter flights, and an air force colonel heading the DDMS for Apollo 11's return from the moon back to Earth.There are a few flown/carried covers that had been aboard the helicopter support operations, signed by the flight crews, with the frogmen included. Perhaps some of those can be shown later on.The last cover shown, at bottom right, is for the opening of the Armstrong Air & Space Museum at Wapakoneta, Ohio, on July 20, 1972. Since this cover topic pertains to the Armstrong museum in the first astronaut-moonwalker's hometown that he grew up in, I thought it would be appropriate to include this particular signed cover. It has been autographed by then-Governor of Ohio, John Gilligan, and special guest ceremony speaker Tricia Nixon-Cox, daughter of the late President during the Apollo lunar landings. It was her father that made the famous telephone call to the moon from the White House on July 20th and was aboard the USS Hornet to personally greet the returning lunar astronaut crew.Hopefully all four frogmen will be able to sign some of the 2021 museum's anniversary "frogmen" cachet covers and perhaps, if time permits, provide an opportunity for them to autograph other Apollo 11 memorabilia, especially if splashdown-recovery related. Does anyone from that area plan to attend?</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>Very nice covers, Ken!According to the festival schedule, the four frogmen will be taking part in meet and greet sessions in downtown Wapakoneta on July 16 and then do the same at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum on July 17 and July 18. They will attend the gala at Neil Armstrong Airport on July 17 and the start of the Run to the Moon 5K/10K on July 18.The covers will be released on July 20. It is not clear if all four frogmen will still be in Wapakoneta, but according to the museum: <BLOCKQUOTE>Frogman Mike Mallory will be giving a presentation at 2:00 p.m. on the 20th for guests to enjoy as well!</BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Ross</TD><TD>Here are some of my Apollo 11 covers. Firstly a couple of covers signed by the four frogmen with one additionally signed by one of the Air Bosses. Both have USS Hornet postmarks but one is the rarer hand cancel.<center><a href="https://www.angelfire.com/space2/australia/recovery/recovery-apollo/scans/apollo11-hornet-21.jpg" TARGET="AirLock"><img src="https://www.angelfire.com/space2/australia/recovery/recovery-apollo/scans/apollo11-hornet-21.jpg" WIDTH="400" BORDER="0"></A></center>Another cover with a hand cancel signed on the back by the four frogmen.<center><a href="https://www.angelfire.com/space2/australia/recovery/recovery-apollo/scans/apollo11-hornet-22.jpg" TARGET="AirLock"><img src="https://www.angelfire.com/space2/australia/recovery/recovery-apollo/scans/apollo11-hornet-22.jpg" WIDTH="400" BORDER="0"></A></center>And finally a cover signed by both the ship's Commanding Officer and Executive Officer.<center><a href="https://www.angelfire.com/space2/australia/recovery/recovery-apollo/scans/apollo11-hornet-23.jpg" TARGET="AirLock"><img src="https://www.angelfire.com/space2/australia/recovery/recovery-apollo/scans/apollo11-hornet-23.jpg" WIDTH="400" BORDER="0"></A></center>Unfortunately I don't have any helicopter flown covers with or without the frogmen's signatures.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>thisismills</TD><TD>At the last minute on Friday my schedule cleared and I was able to visit Wapakoneta for the Summer Moon Festival on the 16th. I then decided to drive back on the 20th to visit the museum to see the recently added artifacts on display.On the 16th, all four frogmen were in downtown Wapakoneta in a hospitality tent at the intersection of Willipie St. and Auglaize St. After being introduced by the emcee, each individually spoke without a prepared script or visual presentation. They shared many stories about the Apollo 11 recovery, training exercises, and time spent in the military (Vietnam War). Questions were asked on the fly and each took turns building off of (or correcting) what the others remembered about what happened, in a very light-hearted joking manner. You could tell this was the first time they had all been back together in the same place in a long time and wanted to give each other a "hard time."After the stories and questions finished, each person was encouraged to step up to the front and have an item signed by all four. For those not bringing an item there were free printed photo collages or a color postcard of the recovery. <center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers01-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers01-lg.jpg" width="400" width="214"></a></center>Each person was limited to two signed items, which were all to be inscribed "To". About 50 people attended but was hard to know really as many passers-by stopped in only for a few minutes and did not sit down for the full duration.On the 20th, a representative from the USPS office in Wapakoneta was inside at the entrance to the museum from 11am to 1pm. He did not have a pictorial cancellation for this event, just the standard date stamp device found at the postal counter. Once you purchased the frogman cachet envelopes pre-stamped from the gift shop at $2 each, he would cancel them for you while you waited. He also cancelled other items if you brought them in. If you visit the museum I suspect they will have some extras as they still have them for sale from past years (I saw July 20th covers from 2019 and 2020 for sale in the gift shop).<center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers02-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/thisismills/armstrong_airspace_frogmen_covers02-lg.jpg" width="400" width="225"></a></center>Only Mike Mallory was there at the museum at 2pm and gave a pre-prepared PowerPoint presentation. It was one photo per slide with a description which covered the topics of training exercises and the Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 recoveries in which he participated. He introduced each photo, told stories, and answered questions afterwards. Each person was encouraged to step up to the front and have one item signed if they wanted to. For those not bringing an item there were the same free printed photo collages as before. About 40 people attended.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Ken Havekotte</TD><TD>Very nice Jeff! Glad you were able to attend and report back to us on cS. It would had been a great event to include a pictorial cancel device by the USPS, but nevertheless, at least there was a postal station set up at the museum. I had this done, with providing specially designed pictorial hand cancel devices on site, for several space events here on the Florida Space Coast since the 1980's.Were there any good stories about the Apollo 11 recovery told by the frogmen? Did everything work out well and how long did President Nixon stay on the carrier? Curious to know also what were the first words spoken to them by the first lunar landing crew as they made contact once the hatch was opened.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>thisismills</TD><TD>Ken thanks for comments, upon reading your post I did a quick search and it appears that the museum recorded Mike's presentation on the 20th and have posted it for all to view. Mike's wife was in attendance and can be heard at times directing him to tell certain stories. Enjoy watching!<center><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FArmstrongAirSpaceMuseum%2Fvideos%2F945717926206877%2F&width=400&show_text=false&height=711&app Id" width="400" height="711" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true">

One of the most interesting things Mike said when asked "who was the first astronaut out of the capsule" into the rafts. He mentioned that they (the Frogmen) did not know until just recently that it was Neil Armstrong. He elaborated that since it was a somewhat rough sea and only the eyes were visible through the biological isolation garments it was not something they focused on knowing at the time.

He also mentioned that they were left out on the capsule for a significant amount of time afterwards in the ocean to further protect Nixon and the ship's crew from possible biological hazards. After the astronauts were hoisted into the helicopter, they cut and sank the rafts as well.

His description of how they eventually got on board the Hornet by climbing up a cargo net next to the where the galley dumped its waste water was amazing to hear. The frogmen were quite literally in a chum bucket of food scraps, ready made for the sharks.

The Apollo 10/11 "hippie flower" sticker story was also one of my favorites.

Overall, the talks gave me a sense of just how impressive what they accomplished was. Swimming out in the middle of the ocean, loaded down with gear, performing the rescue took a special set of skills and was challenging even for the best of the best.

Robert Pearlman

The museum also recorded a Q&A with all four frogmen:

Ken Havekotte

Loved the "hippie flower" story Jeff and I really enjoyed Mike Mallory's presentation and talk. But what really caught my attention were his remarks about seeing all the Kapton tape insulation from CM-107 as I am sure much of it was in a frayed, torn, and used condition.

It goes to show or help support what I have always been told by others on the USS Hornet that the recovery team and other ship personnel did in fact acquire some of the Kapton for themselves as harmless personal souvenirs of man's first lunar landing mission.

Thanks for providing the videos.

Robert Pearlman

WKYC Channel 3 video

Fifty-two years after recovering the Apollo 11 astronauts and capsule, the four Navy frogmen who took part in the historic mission reunited for the first time.
The men visited the Armstrong Air and Space Museum to meet the public and talk about that day, July 24th, 1969. The reunion was part of the Summer Moon Festival, in Neil Armstrong’s hometown of Wapakoneta, Ohio.
It also marked the first time that all of Clancy Hatleberg, Wes Chesser, Mike Mallory and John Wolfram have been together since 1969. In this WKYC Studio digital video, the group talks about the training, sharks, souvenirs, and hippie flowers on wetsuits.

Ken Havekotte

Thanks Robert and Jeff! I have really enjoyed this topic and in seeing all the interview videos of the "shark bait" frogmen.

What a great bunch of guys! I think most/all were Vietnam vets (thanks for their military services), were young, brave, and each well-trained for their duties. All had humorous and great stories to tell, are humble to the core, and are so proud of their unique role each had performed so well in helping to bring back both the Apollo 10 and 11 astronaut crews from a difficult high-sea ocean recovery.

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