Naval History and Heritage Command

Table of Contents

Overview of the Collection

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Detailed Description of the Collection

Restrictions

Index Terms

Administrative Information

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the collection consists of official documents relating to the manned space flight recovery operations conducted by the US Navy for Apollo Missions 10, 13, 14, 15, and 17. These documents include, but are not limited to mission briefings, operational orders, maps, and radio dispatches. The collection also contains a set of radio messages received by the USS Randolph (CVS-15) during the MR-4 Recovery operations as well as a final summary report and other documents related to the Skylab II Mission.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically by mission and by subject within each mission.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

MR-4 Recovery [Project Mercury mission Liberty Bell 7 crewed by Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, 21 July 1961.]

Radio messages USS Randolph (CVS-15), 18-22 July 1961.

Sigma Seven [Project Mercury mission crewed by Commander Walter M. Schirra, Jr., on 3 Oct. 1962.]

Radio messages (49 mimeograph reprints) USS Kearsage (CVS-33), 3-5 October 1966.
Includes unofficial diagram of operational deployment.

Apollo 10 [18-26 May 1969]

Mission Press Briefing, 16 April 1969.
Plans and Assignments USS Princeton (LPH-5), 4 May 1969.
Operational Order USS Princeton (LPH-5), [?] May 1969.
Post Mission Recovery Report, 30 May 1969.
Astronaut's menu USS Princeton (LPH-5).

Apollo 13 [11-17 April 1970]
TF-130 Participation in Apollo 13 Mission; Report of Commander Task Force 130 Operational Order 339-71.
Primary Area Landing Map.
Recovery prayer and photograph of Commander P. E. Jerauld, CHC, USN.
Operational Order USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2), 25 March 1970.
Cruise Report USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2), 23 April 1970.
Set of photographs documenting splash down and recovery.

Apollo 14 [31 January-9 February 1971]
CTF-140 Operational Plan 1-70, 9 March 1970.
Summary Report, 26 February 1971.
Press Kit (with photographs).
Radio dispatches from journalists.
Radio messages (mimeograph copies).

Apollo 15
[26 July-7 August 1971]

Apollo 15 (AS-510) Operational Order 1-71.
Recovery Requirements Apollo 15, 1 June 1971.
CTF-140 Operational Order 1-71, 7 June 1971.
Information guide to Spacecraft Recovery.
Apollo 15 DOD Support Packet.
Apollo 15 Press Kit (with photographs).
Mission and System Review Apollo 15.
Summary Report.
RCCA Watch Bills for Apollo 15.
Radio Dispatches from journalists.
Charts:
Apollo Trans Lunar/Trans Earth Trajectory Plotting Chart.
Apollo Lunar Orbit Chart.
Apollo Earth Orbit Chart.
Space Craft Recovery Chart.
Communication record (Mylar roll).
Oversize Mission Briefing Chart (oversize).

Apollo 17 [7-19 December 1972]>

General Information.
USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14), miscellaneous documents.
TRW Flight Data.
Skylab Mobile Laboratory (with photographs).
NASA Space Flight Tracking & Data Network Station, Kakee Park, Kaui, Hawaii.
Final Summary Report, 27 December 1972.

Skylab II
[25 May-22 June 1973]

Skylab II Primary Recovery Ship USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14).
Skylab 1/2 Final Summary Report, 3 July 1973
Skylab brochure.

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Restrictions on Use

Manuscripts are unavailable for loan and must be consulted in the library. Photocopying of manuscripts is generally prohibited, though the use of digital cameras by researchers to reproduce non-copyrighted materials is permitted. Permission to photocopy a limited number of pages may be granted by the reference staff, contingent upon the physical state of items. All photocopying of materials shall be done by the reference staff, or under their close supervision. The use of personal scanners or digital cameras by non-library staff personnel must be approved by the reference staff on a document-by-document basis (Reference: Naval Historical Center Instruction [NAVHISTCENTINST] 5070.1C.).

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Subject:

Project Apollo

Project Mercury

Skylab II

Space Vehicles -- Landing

United States Navy -- Space Craft Recovery Operations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Historical Manuscripts, Navy Department Library, Naval Historical Center, Washington DC, Space Flight Recovery Operations Collection: US Navy.

Processing Information

The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Thomas Wildenberg in April 2007.

APOLLO 10
ASTRONAUT'S
MENU

[ship's crest]
USS PRINCETON
LPH-5

COMMANDING OFFICER
Captain Carl M. Cruse

EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Commander Robert W. Carius

SUPPLY OFFICER
Lieutenant Commander Daniel W. McKinnon

WARDROOM OFFICER
Ensign James J. Carroll III

FOOD SERVICE OFFICER
Warrant Officer Samuel S. Todd

APOLLO CAKE DECORATOR
Froilan Alcomendas SD1

APOLLO CAKE BAKER
Ralph Irlbeck CS2

ASTRONAUT COOKS
Ricko Quinto SD2
Conrado Gatdula