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Author
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Topic: Stolen Eisele Apollo 7 Speedmaster recovered
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 53242
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-16-2017 05:00 AM
   
collectSPACE Apollo astronaut watch, stolen in Ecuador, recovered 30 years laterA NASA astronaut's wristwatch worn aboard the first Apollo mission in 1968 has been returned to the Smithsonian, nearly three decades after it was stolen from a museum in Ecuador. The Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph, which astronaut Donn Eisele was issued to wear on board the Apollo 7 mission into Earth orbit, is now back in the custody of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The watch was recovered with the help of space history enthusiasts, who provided the authorities with information about the chronograph's status and location.  |
Jurg Bolli
Member Posts: 1238
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-16-2017 08:44 AM
Very nice to hear that it is back. |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 254
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
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posted 11-16-2017 12:42 PM
This is a great story with a fantastic ending. Well done to all those involved in the return of the watch to its proper home. |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1439
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 11-16-2017 02:56 PM
Robert, that is a really great job in recovery of the watch. It's been missing for almost 30 years. It proves a couple of points. Artifacts never stay hidden forever and everyday people can help in the recovery of stolen objects. Very good article and great job gathering the disparate groups together to get that watch back. Semper V! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 53242
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-16-2017 03:27 PM
Thanks Larry. It has been incredibly rewarding to play a small role in the return of Eisele's Speedmaster and to be able to share the story of its recovery. |
bruce
Member Posts: 935
From: Fort Mill, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 11-16-2017 03:50 PM
Good on you, Robert! |
328KF
Member Posts: 1391
From:
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 11-16-2017 04:43 PM
Great story and article. A question on Eisele's other Speedmaster that was sold at auction. If it was a "personal" watch, why was it engraved with a NASA serial number (#38)?Was it NASA property that was released to him? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 53242
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-16-2017 05:46 PM
The history behind no. 38 is not clear. NASA does not have record of it flying or being issued to Eisele, and it was never among the chronographs transferred to the Smithsonian.There are photos from the day of the Apollo 7 launch and post-recovery that show Eisele wearing two watches, so there is some reason to believe it flew on Apollo 7, but without Eisele around to fill in the details, its full provenance is likely to remain elusive. |
Panther494
Member Posts: 578
From: London UK
Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 11-16-2017 06:10 PM
Fantastic news. Congratulations to all involved. |
DMScott
Member Posts: 359
From: Lexington, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted 11-17-2017 02:36 AM
This is a terrific story. Great work Robert. |
Charlie16
Member Posts: 545
From: Italy
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 11-17-2017 06:22 AM
Very nice! Even Walt Cunningham will be happy to hear this! Thanks Robert for sharing the story. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6277
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 11-17-2017 02:36 PM
105.012-63 or 105.012-66? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 53242
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-17-2017 02:51 PM
The details concerning the watch and its condition may be available once the Speedmaster can be inspected in the Smithsonian's conservation lab. |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 254
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
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posted 11-20-2017 04:21 PM
Great to see Hodinkee picked up the story including a link to the cS article on their main page this afternoon. |
Skythings
Member Posts: 273
From:
Registered: Jun 2014
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posted 11-21-2017 06:20 AM
Heard about it this morning on Coast To Coast with George Noory. Recovered with the help of Space Historians. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 53242
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-21-2017 12:28 PM
CBS News Radio's Peter King interviewed me and ran a brief clip about the news. You can listen to it here. |
DG27
Member Posts: 271
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 11-28-2017 05:09 AM
It is sad when history is lost, but it is tragic when history is stolen. Thank you for your efforts in helping to recover a piece of history. Congratulations Robert. Very cool! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 53242
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-28-2024 09:28 AM
Seven years later, Bloomberg's Jason Leopold revisited this story after requesting and receiving documents from the Smithsonian Office of Inspector General. ...even though the Smithsonian isn't required to entertain FOIA requests, the institution says it "follows the spirit of the FOIA to foster openness and accountability." I tested out that policy and asked the Smithsonian IG for records about the closed investigation into Eisele's missing Omega watch.It worked! A few weeks later the documents arrived. It turns out that it was the editor of the website collectSPACE and the former bass guitarist from the rock band Eisley (pronounced just like Eisele) who tipped off the Smithsonian's IG about the missing watch. They wrote about their roles in helping crack the case. But this is the first time documents about it have been released and, with it, a bit more detail to the story. |
astrobock
Member Posts: 212
From: WV, USA
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 09-28-2024 06:28 PM
Excellent! Thank you. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6277
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 10-02-2024 03:15 AM
During Apollo 7, command module pilot Don Eisele did wear two Omega Speedmaster chronographs (34 = 105.012-65 was one of these). |
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