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  Space Cover 660: Apollo 11 splashdown

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Author Topic:   Space Cover 660: Apollo 11 splashdown
ChrisCalle
Member

Posts: 185
From: Ridgefield, CT
Registered: Jan 2009

posted 07-24-2022 07:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ChrisCalle   Click Here to Email ChrisCalle     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Space Cover of the Week, Week 660 (July 24, 2022)

Space Cover #660: Apollo 11 splashdown

July 24, 1969 saw President john F. Kennedy's challenge to the nation to "land a man on the Moon and return him safely to the Earth."

From a 2019 NASA feature article:

On July 24, 1969, Apollo 11 was 47,000 miles from Earth and rapidly accelerating toward its home planet when astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins awoke for their last day in space, preparing for their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean 950 miles southwest of Hawaii.

The previous day, managers were forced to move the splashdown point by 250 miles to the northeast due to inclement weather at the original recovery site. The aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CVS-12), the prime recovery ship for Apollo 11, was speeding for the new splashdown target area. Overcast skies made stellar navigation impossible, so Hornet used the ancient mariner's technique of dead reckoning to arrive on time and at the proper position to recover crew and spacecraft.

Hornet's commanding officer Capt. Carl J. Seiberlich chose the slogan Hornet Plus 3 for the operation, signifying the safe recovery of the three Apollo 11 astronauts.

President Richard M. Nixon was en route to Hornet to greet the astronauts upon their return. He had flown aboard Air Force One from San Francisco via Hawaii to Johnston Island, an atoll 825 miles west-southwest of Honolulu, accompanied by NASA Administrator Thomas O. Paine, Apollo 8 astronaut Frank Borman, and other dignitaries. From Johnston Island, they flew aboard Marine helicopters to the communications relay ship USS Arlington (AGMR-2), where they spent the night before helicoptering to Hornet early on splashdown day.

Admiral John S. McCain, Commander in Chief of Pacific naval forces, greeted the President on Johnston Island and flew separately to Hornet to be present for the splashdown and recovery.

In celebration of that day now 53 years ago here are a group of covers in the Calle Family Collection.

  • Splashdown cachet cover signed by Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins (above)
  • Prime recovery ship USS Hornet cover signed by the Prime Helicopter Recovery Crew
  • Prime recovery ship USS Hornet cover signed by the Air Boss and UDT recovery crew swimmers
  • Prime recovery ship USS Hornet hand cancelled cover signed by President Richard Nixon

randy
Member

Posts: 2592
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 07-25-2022 08:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for randy   Click Here to Email randy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have one of these (unsigned, US Navy Recovery Force), that was given to me by a member of the Hornet crew who was there when Apollo 11 was recovered.

yeknom-ecaps
Member

Posts: 784
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 07-25-2022 02:29 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for yeknom-ecaps   Click Here to Email yeknom-ecaps     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Chris - please show us the Paul Calle signed Apollo 11 USS Hornet recovery cover from the Calle Family Collection!

bobslittlebro
Member

Posts: 227
From: Douglasville, Ga U.S.A.
Registered: Nov 2009

posted 07-31-2022 11:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for bobslittlebro   Click Here to Email bobslittlebro     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Here is a nice one I added years ago:

All times are CT (US)

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