| Ship | Type | Designation | Covers |
| Atlantic | |||
| USS Hawkins | SRS - Destroyer | DD-873 | Y |
| USS Paiute | SRS - Fleet Ocean Tug | AFT-159 | Y |
| USS Spiegel Grove | SRS - Landing Ship Dock | LSD-32 | Y |
| Pacific | |||
| USS New Orleans | PRS - Carrier | LPH-11 | Y |
| USS Carpenter | SRS - Destroyer | DD-825 | Y |
| USS Ponchatoula | SRS - Oiler | AO-148 | Y |
| Tracking Ships | |||
| USNS Vanguard | TS - Tracking Ship | T-AGM-19 | Y |
| Recovery Control Centers | |||
| Norfolk VA | Atlantic Recovery Control Center | N/A | Y |
| Kunia HI | Pacific Recovery Control Center | N/A | Y |
| Ship | Description of Postmark | Scarcity |
|---|---|---|
| USS New Orleans | Normal AM Postmark | Common |
| USS New Orleans3c | PM Postmark - Note the unusual P | Only 1 Seen |
| USS Paiute | 'PM' below Day Jacksonville Postmark | Common? |
| USS Paiute | 'PM' above Day Jacksonville Postmark | Common? |
| USS Ponchatoula | Feb 3 1971 (Black Navy Cachet) | Fairly Common? |
| USS Ponchatoula | Feb 9 1971 (Maroon Navy Cachet) | Common |
| USS Ponchatoula2 | Feb 7 1971 (Note: Looks like Feb 1 but closeup view shows it's Feb 7) with Unusual Apollo 14 cachet | ? |
| Postmark with narrow Time Slug | Common | |
| Postmark Lacks Time Slug See Article on this Postmark | Rare | |
| USS Spiegel Grove9 | Postmark with wide thicker Time Slug. Also see expanded article on no Time Slug variation. | Very Rare |
| TF-140 Control Center | US Postal Service 234? 31 Jan 1971 | ? |
| Cachet | Description of Cachet | Colours | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy Recovery Force Cachet - Atlantic |
Designed by Morris Beck it shows two views of the Apollo Lunar Lander |
Black | Rubber Stamp |
| Navy Recovery Force Cachet - Pacific |
Designed by Morris Beck it shows two views of the Apollo Lunar Lander |
Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| Beck Cachet - Atlantic | Similar to Navy Cachet | Orange-Blue-Silve | Printed |
| Beck Cachet - Pacific | Similar to Navy Cachet | Red-Black-Silver | Printed |
| MSRF TF-140 Cachet | Shows TF-140 emblem | Black, Blue | Rubber Stamp |
| Artopages | General Recovery Ship cachet | Orange-Blue | Printed |
| Goldcraft Cachet | Apollo 14 FDI cover shows rocket & Saturn | Green | Printed |
| Gordon Cachet | Apollo 14 Splashdown A-OK | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
|
Ship |
Known Cachet Colours |
Beck Numbers |
| USS Hawkins | Black | B841 |
| USS Spiegel Grove | Black | B863 |
| USS New Orleans | Maroon, Black (scarce) | B861, B864 |
| USS Carpenter | Maroon | None |
| USS Ponchatoula | Black, Maroon | B862 |
| Cachet | Description of Cachet | Colours | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS New Orleans | EKAS PRS Cachet shows the Carrier and Apollo capsule under parachutes with associated text including name of PRS & Astronauts | Red | Rubber Stamp |
| USS New Orleans | Interesting cachet includes the Mission Emblem | Multicolour | Printed |
| USS New Orleans | A different cachet includes the Mission Emblem | Multicolour | Printed |
| USS New Orleans - New York | Unusual Maroon Double-Circle USS New Orleans/N.Y. Hand Cancel - only 1 copy seen on envelope with normal Hand Cancel and incorrect Navy Altantic Cachet Extremely Rare |
Maroon | Hand Cancel |
| USS New Orleans | Original postmark misses the stamp. Second postmark 12 March 1971 cancels the stamp | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS New Orleans | East German Postcard | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS New Orleans | Text cachet Apollo 13 Souvenir Cover etc | Black | Printed |
| USS New Orleans | Unusual 'Salute to Apollo' cachet | Red and Black | Printed |
| USS New Orleans2 | Unusual Maroon USS New Orleans Hand Cancel - First one seen | Maroon | Hand Cancel |
| USS New Orleans3 | Interesting Apollo FDI cachet | Blue | Printed |
| USS New Orleans3a | Interesting Capsule in Ocean cachet | Green | Printed |
| USS New Orleans4 | Commander In Chief Pacific Corner Card - Navy Cachet | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS New Orleans6 | NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club mission emblem cover | Multicolour | Printed |
| USS New Orleans8 | Interesting cover from J. Walter Green on A/P NASA Photo Pool stationary with Navy cachet. And a second example3e. | Blue / Maroon | Printed Rubber Stamp |
| USS New Orleans3d | Cachet shows capsule landing in the Ocean - Also see Apollo 15 | Orange & Blue | Printed |
| USS New Orleans3e | Interesting cover with UDT 11 corner card and Navy cachet | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Ponchatoula | Usual black Navy cachet with Captain's corner card stamped on back of envelope | Black | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Ponchatoula | Interesting Capsule in Ocean cachet | Green | Printed |
| USS Ponchatoula5 | Ship's Text Cachet | Black | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Spiegel Grove | Commander's Corner Card - Another Example2 | Black | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Spiegel Grove | Mission Emblem cover. Unusual for a Secondary Recovery Ship | Multicolour | Printed |
| USNS Vanguard | USNS Vanguard Project Apollo MSTS cachet Smaller Text |
Black | Rubber Stamp |
| USNS Vanguard | USNS Vanguard Project Apollo MSTS cachet Larger Text |
Black | Rubber Stamp |
| USNS Vanguard | Postcard | Multicolour | Printed |
| Cook Islands | Special Post Office splashdown text cachet | Black | Rubber Stamp |
| Western Samoa | Special Recovery Postmark | Black | Hand Cancel |
| Western Samoa | Aerogram - Special Recovery Postmark | Black | Hand Cancel |
| Western Samoa10 | Special Recovery Postmark - cura della FDC | Black | Hand Cancel |
| Pago Pago Samoa | Splashdown Cover | Black | Printed |
| Honolulu | Beck RSC with Honolulu postmark. Possible return to Port. | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Hawkins | On a general Apollo 14 on the Moon cover | Blue & Red | Printed |
| United Nations | Interesting Manned Spacecraft Recover cachet with a United Nations postmark | Blue | Rubber Stamp |
| Postmark | Description of Cover | Postmark Date |
|---|---|---|
| USS New Orleans | Cover signed by the Commanding Officer, Capt. Robert E. Moore | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Cover signed by the Commanding Officer, Capt. Robert E. Moore - Different Hand Cancel | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Another cover signed by the Commanding Officer, Capt. Robert E. Moore. But on a cover with the scarce black cachet | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Nice Beck printed cover signed by TF130 Commander Rear Admiral T. B. Haywood & Commanding Officer Capt. Robert E. Moore | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Cover signed by the Main Recovery pilot, Bill Walker | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Helicopter recovery cover signed by the pilot of the Recovery helicopter, W. E. Walker | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | PRS Recovery Cover signed by the Recovery Helicopter copilot Lt. Thomas F. Finley and AWC Davey | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Cover signed by signed by the Crew of Swim 1 Helicopter includes Cdr. Paul K. Hine, Pilot, James A. Cutdopia, Copilot, James S. Carpenter ,First Crewman, and Patrick A. Maher, Second Crewman | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Cover signed by signed by the Crew of Swim II Helicopter includes LCdr Thomas C. Barthlolmew, Pilot, Lt. Michael Scuro, Copilot, AW2 Jack H. Mahlman First Crewman, and AW3 John B, Cecil, Second Crewman | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans3 | Nice Beck Printed Cover signed by the crew of the Photo Helicopter including LCdr Robert L. Rich, Pilot, Lt. T. G. Hutchinson, Copilot, and AXCS Edward Kulikowsi, First Crewman | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Another PRS Recovery Cover signed by the crew of Swim 1 | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Signed by four frogman | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans | Cover signed by the 4 man crew of Main Recovery Helicopter | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans3a | Great cover signed by Recovery helicopter pilots Walker & Finley and the ship's commanding officer Capt. E. Moore | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans3a | Great cover members of the Apollo Recovery Team | 9 February 1971 |
| USS New Orleans1 | Another cover signed by the Commanding Officer, Capt. Robert E. Moore on a cover with the scarce black cachet | 9 February 1971 |
| Houston7 | While not a PRS cover this is still an interesting cover for the Astronauts' quarantine signed by Ed Mitchell | 26 February 1971 |
Notes General:
i) Insert showing the splashdown area
Notes Other:
1) From the collection of Antoni Rigo
2) From the collection of Tom Steiner
3) Sold on eBay during 2010 a)2011 b)2013 c)2015 d)2022 e)2024
4) From the collection of Timothy Preston
5) From the collection of Steve Durst
6) From the collection of Eddie Bizub
7) Scan provided by Robert Fish of the USS Hornet Museum
8) From the collection of Joseph Volutza
9) From the collection of Andre Gutmann
10) From the collection of Eugenio Vespiano
This page © Dr Ross J Smith
This page is maintained by the Webmaster
Last modified on 13 April 2024
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