Ticonderoga Apollo Recovery (CVS 14) - Naval Cruise Book

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. 2 DT-12 ff! LT E. K. Kishida Top Row: ENC G.A. Phelps, A03 G.A. Platt, HY3 W.C. Valois, LTJ G L.E. Metzler, ETR3 M.H. Gotchey, RM1 C.H. McGee. Bottom Row: HT3 P.A. Spark, PH3 R.G. Hay, WO-1 G.T. Hammerle, LT E.K. Kishida, PN3 W.E. Ranger, SN J .J . Petrella. The primary mission of Underwater Demolition Team Twelve is to provide hydrographic reconnaissance data for the amphibious forces. UDT-12 was tasked with providing 12 swimmers for the Apollo 16 recovery on board USS TICONDEROGA. These twelve men were divided into three teams: a team of three in the Recovery helicopter, a team of three in the helo designated Swim , and a team of six embarked in the helo designated ELS -Earth Landing Systems. All the swimmers wore a complete wetsuit equipped with SCUBA tanks to protect them from possible fuel leaks from the command module. The Recovery and ELS swimmers were deployed almost simultaneously by their respective aircraft. Recovery made a low and slow pass on the command module so that the swimmer was able to jump slightly downwind from the spacecraft, allowing it to drift to him. At this time, the swimmer attached a sea anchor to the command module to slow its drift. The egress swimmer then signaled for the collar team, who exited the Recovery aircraft while carrying the flotation collar with them. The three swimmers attached the collar to the floating spacecraft. After this was completed, the Recovery helo was signaled to make another pass to drop the egress raft, which, after inflation, was attached to the flotation collar. At this point, all was ready for the astronauts to leave the command module for their last time. When all three astronauts had completed their egress from the spacecraft, the Recovery helo was signaled to come in for the first pickup. After the astronauts were safely in the helicopter, the swimmer's mission was to remain with the command module to assist the crew of TICO with its retrieval. While the astronaut recovery operation was taking place, the ELS helicopter deployed its three 2-man,teams to recover the command module's three parachutes. As soon as the parachutes were buoyed, the ELS aircraft dropped a 7- man life raft to each team, which used them to carry the chutes for the retrieval. The swimmers embarked in the Swim aircraft were utilized as a backup for the Recovery helo.

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Q 1 R X f 4 1 f X f K? A' w f 4 1 4 , . v fgkxx '13 5.5. Z' , X 6 '04 MOTU-5 Pl. Front Row: G. J ohnston-MOTU-5 CWestinghouseJ, M. Connors- Bendix APLXJHU, G. Howard- MOTU-5 fPhilco-Fordj, P. Platt- MOTU-5 QITT-Gilfillanl. Q - x ,.-.0 5 -NN it .W K W . ,. . 3 , , . It - -I NIA! ,Q X56 ff? , YJ FG QAN X460 ,ss 5 g Y O, QA Front Row: MU3 R. Hunt, MU1 J. McCandlish, MUSN T. Frederick, MU3 D. Durrell, MU3 T. A AIR- Beurlot, MUSN P. Sanborn, MU3 G. Snyder, MUSN W. Skelton, MUSN A. Tessitore. Bottom Row: MU1 T. Garcia, MU3 J. Opoien, MU3 J.D. Conrad, MU3 R. Cunnin han, MUSN R. Ryczek, MU1 D. Parker, MUC W.5. Roderick, Bandleader. Band

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Q.. HC-1 DET 8 X as-. , K X 5 X. .., Above: Top ROW: LTJG J-S- Gregory, A.K. Fieser, LCDR R.CnJ Vazquez, LT LT-VG P-H- Shepard, LT B-L Hagen, LT D.S. Nekomoto, LT D.E. Mates, LT R.P. R E' Graham LT T W- Cf3Wf0l'd, LT u r LTJG A.F. Westerlund, CWO-2 RIC. Rinehart: LCDR w.E. Bauer, CDR afiveafwell, W 1 s f us 'QWQWQ The Navy's oldest and largest helicopter squadron was chosen to do it again. For the second time in less than a year, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ONE was given the mission of recovering moon mission astronauts. The 13 officers, 64 men, and 6 SH-3G helicopters of HC- 1's Detachment 8 went through many stages of flight and ground training in preparation for their part in the recovery aboard USS TICONDEROGA. Aircraft commander of the primary recovery helo Recovery was CDR Arnie Fieser, Executive Officer of HC-l. His co-pilot was LTJG John Gregory. The missions and crews of the other HC-l helicopters were: Earth Landing Systems QELSY'-pilots, LCDR Wayne Bauer and LT Roger Gugger, Photo -pilots, LT Bob Rinehart and LT Bob Graham, Swim -pilots, LT Dave Nekomoto and LCDR Raul Vasquez, Backup Une -pilots, LT .Don Mates and LTJG Pat Shepard, and Backup Two -pilots, LTJG Al Westorlund and LT Bruce Hagen. HC-l will also have the recovery mission assignment for Apollo 17, scheduled for late 1972. fiii .t ,f if A '- s', r r ' at J ,T , wg W .,,, 7 5 Mg 'Q ... NL CDR A. K. Fieser Below: Top Row: ADJI N. Bly, AE3 R.K. Shepard, ADRI J. Grier, PR3 R.W. Oldham, YN1 J.A. Marsh, ADJ3 G.R. Tarbunas, ADJ2 D.R. Banks, ADJ2 G.E. Baker, ADJAN D.M. Huckeba, ATAN M.J. Fee, AKAN T.O. Miller, AE2 R.P. Bathgate, AT2 J.D. Wycoff, AMH3 J. . Cowles, ATAN M.L. Bearup, AMH2 J.W. Johnson, ADJ3 D.L. Crumpacker. Center Row: ADJ3 P.R. Sturk, AMSAN S.E. Snyder, AN N.L. Espejo, AMHAN J .A. Underwood, AN T. Wilks, ADJAN J.H. Essa, AE2 A.P. Russo, AE2 DJ. Walker, AEAN W.L. Corbin, AZ1 W.M. Chapimelear, AT2 F.A. Huber, ADR L.A. Morales, AZAN B.D. Martin, AT3 H.C. Lancaster, AT2 D.A. Sands, AT2 S.C. Narrin, AE3 R.C. Corderman, AZAN M.J. Rogers, AMH3 J.R. Armstrong. Bottom Row: AMS3 J .R. Bertoletti, AKAN F.G. Rigalado, AMSAN G.M. Gentry, P 2 F.P. Wasinger, AE2 R.W. Geisel, AMHI E.R. Lantto, AMSI RJ. Shemanski, ADRC G.G. Sellers, AEC W. Bush, AEC LK. Hancock, AMSC T.L. McKinnis, AT2 J.L. Frank, ADJ2 M.A. Garcia, AMS1 A.D. Boyd, ADJ2 M.A. Eubanks, AMH3 D.C. Conrad, AN E. J ankowske, AMH3 R.W. Church, AE3 R.L. Schreiber.