APOLLO RECOVERY SHIP COVER & POSTMARK VARIETIES


Apollo 1 (AS-204) - 27 January 1967
Plugs-Out Launch Pad Test
Scheduled launch Date - 21 February 1967



Recovery Force Ships
Ship Type Designation Covers
Atlantic
USS Essex6,7 PRS - Carrier CVS-9 Y
USS Cony SRS - Destroyer DD-508 N
USS Lorain County SRS - Tank Landing Ship LST-1177 N
USS Dupont SRS - Destroyer DD-941 N
USS Kankakee SRS - Oiler AO-39 N
USS Salinan SRS - Fleet Ocean Tug AFT-161 N
Pacific
USS Kawishiwi SRS - Oiler AO-146 N
USS Philip SRS - Destroyer DD-498 N
USS Radford SRS - Destroyer DD-446 N
Other1
USS Sunnyvale2 TS - Tracking Ship T-AGM-5 Y
Not Involved
USS Isle Royale8 Destroyer Tender AD-29 Y

Note General:
1) While the cover indicates that the USS Sunnyvale would have been a tracking ship for Apollo 204, there is considerable doubt over this, as the ship was not used for any other Manned mission.
3) Morris Beck produced a number of covers for this mission (B712-B720). B712-B715 were never returned while the others were used on subsequent missions (see Apollo AS501 and Apollo 7).
4) On 27 January 1967 a disastrous fire occurred , claiming the lives of Astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee.
5) There are no Recovery Force Covers for this mission, with the possible exception of the USS Sunnyvale and the USS Essex (see note 7).
7) While postmarked on the day after the fire, this is probably the closest to a Primary Recovery Ship cover that exists for this abandoned mission.

Note Other:
2) From the collection of Tom Steiner.
6) From the collection of Steve Durst. Two more covers have been found, a second by Steve Durst and one by Eddie Bizub. 
8) Sold on eBay 2015

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Last modified on 23 November 2015


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