GEMINI RECOVERY SHIP COVER & POSTMARK VARIETIES

Gemini 10 - 21 July 1966

Recovery Force Ships
Ship Type Designation Covers
Atlantic
USS Guadalcanal PRS - Carrier LPH-7 Y
USS William C Lawe SRS - Destroyer DD-763 Y
USS Norris SRS - Anti-Sub Destroyer DD-859 Y
USS Severn SRS - Oiler AO-61 Y
USS Allen M Sumner SRS - Destroyer DD-692 Y
Pacific
USS Collett SRS - Destroyer DD-730 Y
USS De Haven SRS - Destroyer DD-727 Y
USS Kawishiwi SRS - Oiler AO-146 Y
USS Benjamin Stoddert SRS - Guided Missile Destroyer DDG-22 Y
Tracking & Communications Ships
USNS Rose Knot TS - West Atlantic, near Sao Tome, Brazil T-AGM 14 Y
USNS Coastal Sentry TS - Pacific, NE of the Philippines T-AGM 15 Y
USNS Range Tracker4 TS - Pacific, East of Hawaii T-AGM 1 Y
Other
USNS Kingsport Communications Relay Ship - Stationed in San Francisco in a ready reserve status T-AG 164 U/K
Not Involved
USS Opportune1 Salvage Ship ARS-41 Y
USNS Twin Falls4 Tracking Ship T-AGM 11 Y

Postmark Variations
Ship Description of Postmark Scarcity
USS De Haven Ship's name on bottom of postmark Common
USS De Haven3  Ship's name on top of postmark. And this one. Rare
USS Norris Postmarked 21 July Common
USS Norris Postmarked 18 July - And this one5 Only 4 seen
USS Severn4 AM postmark Only 1 seen
USS Severn PM Postmark Common

Cachets
Cachet Description of Cachet Colours Type
Navy Recovery Force Cachet
GT-10

Designed by Morris Beck it shows a small Gemini Capsule and stars

Maroon, Black Rubber Stamp
Navy Recovery Force Cachet
GT-10

Designed by Morris Beck it shows a small Gemini Capsule and stars

Maroon, Black Rubber Stamp
Beck Cachet - Atlantic Same as Navy Cachet Blue-Red Printed
Beck Cachet - Pacific Same as Navy Cachet Blue-Orange Printed
 GT-10 Cachet A small circular text cachet usually appears as an extra cachet. Produced by Morris Beck or Harry Gordon Red,  Blue? Rubber Stamp
Orbit Cachet Complex Printed Cachet showing Astronauts and Rocket etc - Navy Cachet usually on Back Green Printed
Gordon Cachet Text cachet with some details of the mission Purple Rubber Stamp
Sokolsky Cachet? Two Man Spacecraft cachet Maroon Rubber Stamp
US Aircraft Carrier Cachet Large emblem cachet shows an aircraft carrier Blue Printed

Navy Recovery Force Cachet Colours & Beck Cachet Numbers

Ship

Known Cachet Colours

Beck Numbers

USS Guadalcanal Maroon, Black 667, 672
USS William C Lawe Black 668
USS Norris Black 670
USS Severn Black 671
USS Allen M Sumner Maroon, Black 669
USS Collett Maroon 666
USS De Haven Maroon 664
USS Kawishiwi Maroon 663
USS Benjamin Stoddert Maroon 665

Interesting Cachets & Covers
Cachet Description of Cachet Colours Type
USS Guadalcanal  Special Cachet for Gemini 10 Black Rubber Stamp
USS Guadalcanal2 Both a Navy cachet and the ship's cachet - rare Black Rubber Stamp
USS Guadalcanal2 An unusual cachet in addition to a Navy cachet Dark Blue / Black Printed / Rubber Stamp
USS Guadalcanal2a Navy cachet on ship's stationary Blue / Black Printed / Rubber Stamp
USS De Haven Postcard with Navy Cachet Multicolour/Maroon Printed / Rubber Stamp
USS Allen M Sumner Small Ship's Cachet Maroon Rubber Stamp

Signed PRS Covers including Helicopter Recovery Covers - these covers were actually aboard the PRS during recovery
Postmark Description of Cover Postmark Date
USS Guadalcanal Signed by the CO Capt. Raymond Edgar Hill 21 July 1966
USS Guadalcanal2 Signed by the main Recovery helicopter pilot and co-pilot 21 July 1966
USS Guadalcanal2 Signed by the Recovery Force Commander and main Recovery helicopter pilot 21 July 1966
USS Guadalcanal2 Signed by the Primary Recovery Team 21 July 1966

Notes General:
i)

Notes Other:
1) From the collection of Steve Durst
2) Sold on eBay in 2013 a) 2024
3) From the collection of  Antoni Rigo
4) From the collection of Gerard Zonneveld
5) From the collection of Andre Gutmann
6) From the collection of Timothy Preston

This page © Dr Ross J Smith
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Last modified on  8 December 2024

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