Ticonderoga Apollo Recovery (CVS 14) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 18 text:

V Training begins. . . Headlng South. . . ' I S a . af MMM iw' During the training periods the Apollo 16 recovery team conducted many exercises commonly called SlMEXes for simulated exercises. These exercises were conducted with the initial objective of familiarizing everyone with his part, smoothing the rough edges, adding necessary phases or eliminating unneeded areas. There were many briefings and de-briefings, for everything had to be perfectg no stone was to be left uriturned. Everyone was in one the show-TICQNDEROGA and her crew, NASA, CTF-130, HC-1, UDT-12, VR-30, VAW-111 and the Press. A e Now was the time, for soon we would be heading south for the final and only test of our untiring efforts.

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-.5 - ,,.,. f1 Once again, TICONDEROGA arrived in Hawaii. TICO and her crew completed more planning conferences with NASA, CTF-130, and this time the Press was included, as they became a part of the recovery team with their mission of projecting the Apollo 16 recovery to the people of the world. It was also a time of rest and relaxation for the officers and men of TICONDEROGA-a small break for important men in this most challenging task. It would be a long time from here until TlCO's crew would have an opportunity to rest again. Hawaii was enjoyed by all. There was golfing, sunbathing on Waikiki Beach, island tours-just about something for everyone. With the preliminary conferences and briefings completed, it was now time to get down to the business of putting it all together-the men, the equipment, and TICONDEROGA. TICONDEROGA steamed out of Pearl Harbor on Monday, 3 April 1972, to start a new kind of training never before experienced by her able crew. This was something new and exciting. The officers and men were looking forward to taking part in this new chapter of TICONDEROG1-Vs proud history. Much was to be achieved during those brief three days in the training area south of Hawaii. TICONDEROGAE crew put forth their very best effort, as always, in working together with the NASA, CTF-130, UDT-12, VR-30, HC-1, VAW-111, and the Press pool personnel.

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7' 263 2 Eibfli' f . , D ,.qmffgef5.. I . . . for an h1 stor IC O .. ,, N. a ,X 'm,2,.,, L ,H ,.fx' 71 r' W 0' h l 115206 WA' r 9, 232125, -K C are N av f, i 5 , y :ht -1 ., v,J Ef 10' A se tease 5 ??'.o. Q, scifi'-JO Yesfirlf 5AN4y g h t ... , yy x'A A zo of .110 i 150' if rss- g 'W n rendezvous. TICONDEROGA departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii once again, only this time, it was for the real thing. Heading south, she would go a maximum distance of 2,520 miles from Hawaii, all the way to latitude 20-30S and longitude 167-00W. TICONDEROGA traveled this great distance south to be ready for a possible early abort in the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission. TlCO's team would have been ready if this had occured, for all the way from Hawaii it had been practice, practice, practice every other day. The in-between days were filled with solving problems encountered and preparing for the next day's SIM EX. While operating this far south, VR-30, with their COD aircraft, flew many logistics flights to and from American Samoa. Aside from important NASA equipment and personnel, their most enjoyed cargo was 'the many letters received from loved ones over 4,500 miles away-San Diego. i After the astronauts were safely on their way to the Moon, TICONDEROGAE crew turned her to a north by northeasterly course to rendezvous with the USS PONCHATOULA KAO-1485 for a much needed UNREP. It was during this traverse that the recovery team aboard TICO learned that the three astronauts would be coming back from the moon one day earlier than planned. This would move the recovery location approximately 360 miles south of the originally planned recovery area. TICONDEROGA took this change of plan in stride, for she and her crew were ready for any contingency that could arise.