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Author
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Topic: Space Cover 331: Gemini 5 at 50: USS Du Pont
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micropooz
Member Posts: 1582
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 08-23-2015 06:00 AM
   
Space Cover of the Week, Week 331 (August 23, 2015) Space Cover #331: Gemini 5 at 50: The USS Du PontFifty years ago this week, Gordon Cooper and Pete Conrad were firmly putting the US into the lead of the race to the moon on the Gemini 5 mission. They spent eight days on orbit, smashing the duration record set by the Soviet Union. We have already devoted two Space Covers of the Week to Gemini 5: Space Cover 22: Gemini V in Space and Space Cover 70: Gemini 5 Velvetone Cachet. So, for the 50th, let's take a little different tack... Shown above is a cover hand cancelled aboard the destroyer USS Du Pont on the recovery date of Gemini 5 with a Beck B563 cachet. Why feature a secondary recovery ship for the 50th? Well, a little known fact is that the Du Pont was actually on the scene of Gemini 5's splashdown! And it stood by the capsule until helicopters from the prime recovery ship, the USS Lake Champlain, recovered the crew and later recovered the capsule. So Gemini 5 USS Du Pont secondary recovery ship covers are a cut above the normal secondary ship cover. If you haven't added one to your collection, you might just want to! |
Eddie Bizub
Member Posts: 103
From: Kissimmee, FL USA
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 08-23-2015 08:46 AM
Great topic Dennis! USS Du Pont also had the distinction of being the first to recover part of the launch booster. I believe it was the 1st stage of the Titan-II. Somewhere I have a letter from the ship stating that. |
Antoni RIGO
Member Posts: 219
From: Palma de Mallorca, Is. Baleares - SPAIN
Registered: Aug 2013
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posted 08-23-2015 11:08 AM
Dennis, a successful decision to quote this week the USS Du Pont for commemorating the Gemini 5 at 50 after two previous SCOTW for Gemini 5 launch date.My cover is similar to yours but different Beck number.  As long I know, still another Beck number exist, B565. Maybe some cS friend can display it. Not unnumbered USS Du Pont Beck covers or crew covers for this mission are seen. |
micropooz
Member Posts: 1582
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 08-23-2015 12:11 PM
Wow, Eddie - I had read somewhere that the first stage booster was recovered, but never knew that it was the Du Pont that did it!And Antonio - good call on trying to surface all three Beck numbers for the Du Pont. Anyone have a B565 Du Pont? Please post it! And if you need someone to host the image of the cover, please email it to me - glad to do that. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 3209
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 08-23-2015 02:40 PM
It was a 17-foot section of GT-5's first stage of the Titan II launch booster that the U.S.S. Du Pont recovered from the ocean, I think, about 450 miles N.E. of the Cape.It was reported as the first-time ever retrieval from space. There is a good NASA photo of it released on Aug. 21, 1965 (#65-H-1508). It's a cool pic. |
Ross
Member Posts: 496
From: Australia
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 08-24-2015 09:18 AM
You can see a newspaper article about the recovery here.You need to be careful of the reports of the USS Du Pont's activities during this mission. There are a number of incorrect reports. For example it is doubtful that any swimmers from the Du Pont helped with the recovery of the astronauts or capsule. |
micropooz
Member Posts: 1582
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 08-24-2015 11:14 AM
So noted. Thanks Ross. |
Ross
Member Posts: 496
From: Australia
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 08-25-2015 09:40 AM
Dennis, I just noticed your request for a scan of B565 Du Pont. Unfortunately I don't have one (it is extremely scarce) but you can see one on Owen Murray's wonderful website. |
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