| Ship | Type | Designation | Covers |
| Atlantic | |||
| USS Austin | SRS - Amphibious Transport Dock | LPD-4 | Y |
| USS Salinan | SRS - Fleet Ocean Tug | AFT-161 | Y |
| Pacific | |||
| USS Okinawa | PRS - Carrier | LPH-3 | Y |
| USS Kawishiwi | SRS - Oiler | AO-146 | Y |
| Tracking Ships | |||
| USNS Vanguard | TS - Tracking Ship | T-AGM-19 | Y |
| Recovery Control Centers | |||
| Norfolk Naval Air Station | Atlantic Recovery Control Center | N/A | Y |
| Kunia HI | Pacific Recovery Control Center | N/A | Y |
| Not Involved | |||
| USS Paiute | Fleet Ocean Tug | AFT-159 | Y |
| USS Observation Island 4 | Missile Range Instrumentation Ship | AG-154 (T-AGM-23) | Y |
| Ship | Description of Postmark | Scarcity |
|---|---|---|
| USS Okinawa | Hand Cancel - Bottom of Pmk AM | Common |
| USS Okinawa | Hand Cancel - Bottom of Pmk A M | Common |
| USS Okinawa | Hand Cancel - Top of Pmk | Common |
| USS Okinawa | Two different Top of Pmk Hand Cancels | Only two known |
| USS Austin | Hand Cancel - 'USS Austin' Bottom of Pmk - 'P M' No Periods Variety |
Commom |
| USS Austin | Hand Cancel - 'USS Austin' Bottom of Pmk - 'P.M.' Variety |
Less Common |
| USS Austin | Hand Cancel - 'USS Austin' Top of Pmk | Common |
| USS Paiute | August 17 1971 Jacksonville Pmk | - |
| USNS Vanguard | 12 August postmark and cover not marked 7 Aug | - |
| Cachet | Description of Cachet | Colours | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy Recovery Force Cachet Pacific |
Designed by Morris Beck it shows the TF-130 Emblem |
Black | Rubber Stamp |
| Navy Recovery Force Cachet Altantic |
Designed by Morris Beck it shows the TF-140 Emblem |
Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| Beck Cachets - Atlantic | Similar to Navy Cachets | Green/Blue/Brown | Printed |
| Beck Cachets - Pacific | Similar to Navy Cachets | Red/Black/Green | Printed |
| Orbit Cachet | Printed cachet with Navy Cachet on top | Greyscale/Maroon | Printed |
| Artopages Cachet 1 | General Apollo cover | Red/Blue | Printed |
| Artopages Cachet 2 | General Ship Cancellation cover | Red/Blue | Printed |
| Artopages Cachet 3 | Navy Recovery Ship cover | Red/Blue | Printed |
| Gordon Cachet | Splashdown A=OK | Purple, Red | Rubber Stamp |
| Unknown Type 1 | Apollo 15 Souvenir cover | Black | Printed |
|
Ship |
Known Cachet Colours |
Beck Numbers |
| USS Austin | Black, Blueii | B875 |
| USS Okinawa | Maroon | B873, B874 |
| USS Kawishiwi | Maroon | B874 |
| Norfolk VA | Black | B876 |
| Cachet | Description of Cachet | Colours | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS Okinawa | Unusual Cachet shows the Carrier plus Apollo Capsule under parachutes - included an insert | Green/Red | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | EKAS PRS Cachet shows the Apollo capsule returning from the Moon with associated text including name of PRS & Astronauts | Green | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | As above but with a Palo Alto October 20 postmark | Green | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | As Above but with ship's name at top and a late postmark Feb 5 1972 | Green | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | Unknown cachet shows Apollo 15 Rocket and the Moon - Also seen on USS Austin cover | Black | Printed |
| USS Okinawa | USS Okinawa postmark on a multicolour map cover with Navy cachet | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | Interesting postage due 3c | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | An unusual hand drawn cachet shows the Okinawa communicating with the mainland & the capsule under parachutes | B&W | Printed |
| USS Okinawa | Navy cachet on an Apollo 11 Postcard | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | Greyscale photo of the USS Okinawa | Greyscale | Printed |
| USS Okinawa | Cachet shows capsule under parachutes - Also see Apollo 14 | Orange & Blue | Printed |
| USS Okinawa | USS Okinawa Postcard with Navy cachet | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | Amusing hand drawing | Black & Red | Hand Drawn |
| USS Okinawa | Carlos Altgelt (Sokolsky design) cachet. A red version and an aqua version also exists. | Blue | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa | A probably unique Beck B873 cover which initially had an ordinary US 8c stamp postmarked with one postmark. Then the two Decade of Achievement stamps were added and they were postmarked with a different postmark! | Black, Grren and Red | Printed |
| USS Okinawa | Recovery scene cachet | Multicolour | Printed |
| USS Okinawa2 | Interesting PRS cover with Commander in Chief Pacific corner card | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa5 | Interesting PRS cover with Commander in Chief Pacific corner card | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa1 | A probably unique USS Okinawa postmark on an Insurance like cover | Various | Printed |
| USS Okinawa2c | Mission Emblem Cachet | Multicolour | Printed |
| USS Okinawa6 | Commander In Chief corner card - Navy cachet | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa6 | Early postmark while in Pearl Harbor - 18 July 1971 | Blue Text | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa2e | Return to Pearl Harbor - 8 August 1971 | Maroon Text | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Okinawa8 | Monocolour mission emblem cachet with a single 'A Decade of Achievement' stamp on the front and a Navy cachet on the back. Signed by Jim Irwin | Blue / Maroon | Printed / Rubber Stamp |
| USS Kawishiwi | EKAS PRS Cachet as per USS Okinawa | Green | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Kawishiwi | USS Kawishiwi cover with Commanding Officer's corner card. Came with interesting note. | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Kawishiwi | Interesting TF130 Return Address | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Kawishiwi | Interesting USA Navy Department cachet | Black | Printed |
| USS Kawishiwi | Switz Postcard with Navy cachet | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Kawishiwi | US Senate Press Gallery corner card & US Navy cachet | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Kawishiwi | Philatelia Differdange Rocket & Concorde cachet | Multicolour | Printed |
| USS Kawishiwi4 | Unusual 'Return to Port' cover - Text cachet | Red | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Kawishiwi4 | USS Kawishiwi postmark on a USS Okinawa PRS postcard - first SRS cancel on a PRS postcard seen | Maroon | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Austin | Ship's Cachet | Blue | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Austin | Unusual Apollo 15 Atlantic / Pacific Task Force Cachet | Dark Blue-Red | Printed |
| USS Austin | US Navy Crest | Black | Printed |
| USS Austin | First Man On The Moon Stamp Postcard | Multicolour | Printed |
| USS Austin | US Senate Press Gallery corner card & US Navy cachet | Black | Rubber Stamp |
| USS Austin2c | Cachet shows capsule under parachutes | Red/Blue | Printed |
| USS Austin6 | Heritage Crafts cover shows mission emblem and Crew | Multicolour | Printed |
| Western Samoa | Special Recovery Postmark | Black | Hand Cancel |
| Western Samoa7 | Special Recovery Postmark - Unusual red version of postmark | Red | Hand Cancel |
| Cook Islands | Special Safe Return Postmark | Black | Postmark |
| USNS Vanguard / USS Austin | Interesting combined cover with USNS Vanguard cachet and USS Austin postmark | Black | Hand Cancel |
| USNS Vanguard / USS Austin | Similar to above but with extra Military Sealift Command cachet | Black | Hand Cancel |
| USNS Point Barrow | An unusual and interesting cover from the USNS Point Barrow. This ship was used for transporting Saturn V rocket stages from California to KSC. Date appears to be June 20 1970 which is a few days after the S-IVB stage for Apollo 15 was delivered to KSC. | Maroon | Rubber Stam |
| Norfolk VA | Inner & Outer Space Cachet | Gold & Black | Printed |
| Norfolk VA | Unusual Blue Navy cachet | Blue | Rubber Stamp |
| Norfolk Naval Air Sta. | 8c Postage Due - Black Navy Cachet | Black | Rubber Stamp |
| Postmark | Description of Cover | Postmark Date |
|---|---|---|
| USS Okinawa | PRS Recovery Cover signed by the pilot, Steve Coakley | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa | Helicopter Recovery Cover on an airmail envelope signed by the pilot, Steve Coakley | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa2d | Helicopter Recovery cover signed by the Recovery Helicopter pilot Cdr. S.A. Coakley | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa2b | Helicopter Recovery cover signed by the Recovery Helicopter pilot Cdr. S.A. Coakley with note | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa2a | Cover signed by Frogman from the Recovery Team | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa2a | Nice Beck Printed Cover signed by the CO and XO | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa2a | Cover signed by Members of the Primary Recovery Helicopter | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa | Nice Ekas cover signed by both the Commanding Officer Capt. Andrew F. Huff and the Recovery Helicopter pilot Cdr. S.A. Coakley | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa | Nice Beck printed cover signed by the Commanding Officer Capt. Andrew F. Huff - Pmk Okinawa on bottom | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa | Nice Beck printed cover signed by the Commanding Officer Capt. Andrew F. Huff - Pmk Okinawa on top | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa | Great cover signed by Jim Irwin, RADM Hayward Commander of TF-130, the EO of the USS Okinawa and the Recovery Helicopter pilot. Also the cover is addressed to another Astronaut, Chapman! | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa | Another great cover signed by the 3 astronauts plus other recovery personnel | 7 August 1971 |
| USS Okinawa | Another helicopter Recovery cover signed by the pilot, Steve Coakley | 7 August 1971 |
General Notes:
i) As from Apollo 15 the Navy decided to reduce the number of covers serviced to "2 per individual". Extra covers were surposed to be returned unpostmarked. See also a News Release from the Manned Spacecraft Recovery Force to collectors regarding arrangements for covers to be cacheted for Apollo 16.
ii ) The blue coloured cachet is rare
Other Notes:
1) Offered for sale by Astronaut Central (spin off of Novaspace) in 2010
2) Sold on eBay late 2009 a) 2010 b) 2011 c) 2013 d) 2014 e) 2023
3) From the collection of Luc Jallot
4) From the collection of Tom Steiner
5) From the collection of Steve Durst
6) From the collection of Timothy Preston
7) From the collection of Eugenio Vespiano
8) From the collection of Robert Mcleod Jr
This page © Dr Ross J Smith
This page is maintained by the Webmaster
Last modified on 30 August 2024
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