SKYLAB RECOVERY SHIP COVER & POSTMARK VARIETIES

Skylab 4 (Manned Skylab III) - Launch 16 Nov. 1973 - Splashdown 8 Feb. 1974

 Notes General:
i) The USS Opportune was the launch site recovery ship for the launch on Nov. 16. The other ships, except for the USCGC Point Charles, were recovery ships for the splashdown on February 8. The role of the USCGC Point Charles is unknown but is likely to be as a launch site recovery ship.
ii) The USNS Redstone was stationed in port on standby
iii) The solid bar cancel was normally used only on parcels but the Postal Officer was pursuaded to also use it on envelopes for this mission. iv) Other dates for the USNS Vanguard are also known
v) These three ships were rotated with one on active duty at all times. The exact description of their duties is 'Duty salvage ship providing secondary landing area support until primary recovery ship active.'
vi) Air support consisted of five SB-3G helicopters from the primary recovery ship and two HC-130 rescue aircraft staged from McClellan Air Force Base, California. Three of the helicopters carried underwater demolition team personnel. The first, designated "Recovery" also carried the flight surgeon and was used for command module retrieval operations. The second helicopter, designated "Swim" served as backup to "Recovery" and aided in the retrieval of the forward heat shield. The third helicopter designated "ELS" (Earth Landing System), aided in the retrieval of two of the main parachutes. The fourth helicopter, designated "Photo" served as a photographic platform for motion-picture photography. The fifth helicopter, designated "Relay" served as a communications relay aircraft. The HC-130 aircraft, designated "McClellan Rescue 1" and "McClellan Rescue 2" were positioned to track the command module after it exited from S-band blackout, as well as to provide pararescue capability and to optimize the capability for locating the command module had it landed uprange or downrange of the target point. [Skylab Mission Report - Third Visit, JSC-08963]
vii) The postmarker used was not the common one had not been used that year. The clerk forgot to change the year and an unknown number of items were postmarked with an incorrect year. Those that were returned were then corrected by the clerk on duty. See http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum20/HTML/001618.html on collectSPACE for a fuller discussion.

Notes Other:
1) Sold on eBay during 2011 a) 2013 b) 2014
2) From the collection of Luc Jallot
3) From the collection of Tom Steiner
4) From the collection of Steve Durst
5) From the collection of Andre Gutmann

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