Apollo 13 recovery helicopter flown cover

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Author	Topic: Apollo 13 recovery helicopter flown cover
stsmithva Member Posts: 2118 From: Fairfax, VA Registered: Feb 2007	posted 03-20-2025 10:21 AM I have a cover canceled on USS Iwo Jima that was signed by pilot Charles B. Sweeney as having been flown on board the #66 recovery helicopter. I can't find online a mention of a similar helo-flown cover. Is it pretty rare? Also, I am thinking of sending it to the Infinity Center for Fred Haise to sign. I don’t collect many covers, so is there any reason that would be a bad idea? Thanks!
Axman Member Posts: 725 From: Derbyshire UK Registered: Mar 2023	posted 03-20-2025 10:42 AM I think the pilot you refer to is Charles "Chuck" B. Smiley. He was Navy Captain XO of US Navy Helicopter Squadron 4, tasked with recovering astronauts from Apollo 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13 out of the Pacific Ocean after splashdown. Chuck was the pilot of the astronaut recovery helicopter #66 for Apollo 10 and Apollo 13.
stsmithva Member Posts: 2118 From: Fairfax, VA Registered: Feb 2007	posted 03-20-2025 10:49 AM Thank you, I did mean Smiley.
Axman Member Posts: 725 From: Derbyshire UK Registered: Mar 2023	posted 03-20-2025 12:14 PM I include a cover from my collection. They are neither abundant nor extremely scarce. I would say more like difficult to find.

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