Space Cover 768: H.J. Kunder, Recovery Cover CoordinatorThe above cover was hand-cancelled on the USS Guam (LPH-9), September 15th, 1966 while participating as the primary recovery ship for the Gemini 11 mission. The cover is an airmail envelope and has a US Navy applied magenta rubber stamp cachet with artwork created by Morris Beck.
After spending nearly three days in space and setting the record for highest-apogee Earth orbit, astronauts Charles Conrad and Richard Gordon would be recovered by the Guam on this date in the Atlantic Ocean, 200 miles northeast of Turks and Caicos.
However, the most interesting this about this specific cover is not on the front of the envelope, it is that the reverse contains an interesting side-note for collectors. Below is a scan of the envelope back, identifying H. J. Kunder as the coordinator of the recovery covers for this mission with his signature.
Further research allowed me to identify him as Navy Lieutenant Henry Joseph Kunder (1899-1978) of Norfolk, VA.
A brief history of his Naval service:
Kunder enlisted in September 1918, two months prior to the end of WWI, and was a student at the aviation mechanic's school at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, eventually becoming an aviation chief carpenter's mate. He was an inaugural crew member of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) when commissioned on October 21, 1941 at Norfolk, VA. On January 28, 1942 he was promoted to carpenter (warrant officer) and later that year commissioned an ensign. He was on the USS Hornet when Col. Jimmy Doolittle launched his famous raid on Tokyo in April 1942 and later that year on October 26, 1942 when the carrier was mortally wounded by enemy aircraft at the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands in the Solomons. Kunder was transferred to the USS Northampton and only a month later, on November 30, 1942, Northampton was herself sunk at the Battle of Tassafaronga. On May 1, 1943 he was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade), eventually retiring in 1947 with 30 years of continuous service, living in Norfolk for the remainder of his life.
It is here in Norfolk where Kunder would become the recovery cover coordinator for several missions. The USCS (Universal Ship Cancellation Society) proved to be a valuable resource in identifying which missions he fulfilled this role. Excerpts from their monthly publication "The USCS Log", recounts that Kunder was primary coordinator for Gemini 11 (GTA-11), Gemini 12 (GTA-12), Apollo 2 (AS-202), Apollo 4 (AS-501), and Apollo 6 (AS-502), several clippings from the Log are included below.
Now having this information at my disposal, I searched through my collection and discovered several covers with Kunder's return address of 1221 Janaf Place, Norfolk, VA. 23502. I am happy to own covers that were arranged by the Navy's coordinator, adding a bit more history to them.
Have a look through your collection as maybe you also have a few covers from him, would love for you to share scans of any that you have. Happy hunting!
posted 08-25-2024 08:39 AM
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