USS Hassayampa (AO-145) USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145)

Apollo 11 and USS Hassayampa (AO-145)

	"...While continuing her service in the Western Pacific, Hassayampa served as replenishment vessel during the Apollo 11 recovery mission where she was on hand for replenishment duties for USS Hornet (CVS-12) and support vessels. On 22 July 1969, Hassayampa refueled USS Hornet (CVS-12) just prior to Hornet's recovery of the Apollo 11 space capsule. The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. Hornet's deck log shows this occurring on July 22, 1969, about 36 hours before Hornet picked up the Apollo 11 astronauts and crew fresh from their lunar excursion...."
On 22 July 1969, USS Hassayampa (AO-145) refueled USS Hornet (CVS-12) during the Apollo 11 recovery mission. *Hornet's* deck log shows this occurring on July 22, 1969, about 36 hours before she picked up the Apollo 11 astronauts and crew fresh from their lunar excursion. This photo insertion has been made possible by Bob Fish, Trustee, USS Hornet Museum and former *Hornet* XO Chris Lamb. Helmsman during this underway replenishment with USS Hornet (CVS-12) was Chuck Snyder, QM2, USS Hassayampa (AO-145), 1967-1971

24 Jul 1969 - President Richard M. Nixon arrived on board HORNET to observe Apollo recovery mission. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldin and Michael Collins splashed down and recovered by HS-4 HELOS. Re-entry vehicle tracking accomplished by VAW-111 and HORNET CIC

The following images have been graciously made available to Hassayampa Webmaster Terry Kuehn by Bob Fish, Trustee, USS Hornet Museum (pictured at right) and Chris Lamb, former USS Hornet Executive Officer, from sources commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11's historic trip to the Moon and back. Bob Fish is the author of HORNET PLUS THREE, the first authoritative book on the Navy's support of America's race to the Moon and is packed with great detail about the recovery of the epic Apollo 11 mission. Information regarding HORNET PLUS THREE can be found at
http://www.uss-hornet.org/posters/ApolloBook/ and at
http://store.yahoo.com/usshornet/

Bob Fish

This stunning photo-rich hardcover book is available thru the USS Hornet Museum. To order your copy, which includes the author's autograph if you wish, click here: http://store.yahoo.com/usshornet/

The insightful information contained in HORNET PLUS THREE has many sources, including:

RADM Carl Seiberlich (CO – USS Hornet) Neil Armstrong (Apollo 11 Commander – NASA) ADM Chuck Larson (Nixon’s Naval Aide) CAPT Chuck Smiley (XO – HS-4)	CAPT Chris Lamb (XO – USS Hornet) John Stonesifer (Quarantine Director – NASA) CDR Clancy Hatleberg (OIC – UDT-11) Don Blair (Mutual Radio)
"I returned to my office and found HORNET PLUS THREE awaiting. I must say, it is an exceptional job and fills a gaping hole in the Apollo history. Well done !!" ~Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 mission commander
USS Hornet Museum • 707W Hornet Ave, Pier 3 • PO Box 460 • Alameda, CA 94501 • (510) 521-8448 www.uss-hornet.org

HORNET PLUS THREE:

The Recovery of Apollo 11

Eight weeks before the Launch of Apollo 11, the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CVS-12) was selected as the primary recovery ship. She had just returned from a six-month deployment on "Yankee Station" in the Gulf of Tonkin, her third (and final) assignment with the Navy's Task Force 77 in support of the Vietnam conflict.

Her new Commanding Officer, Captain Carl Seiberlich, had a very short timeframe to refocus the officers and crew on the upcoming space mission. While the recovery procedures for previous "Apollo missions were well-known and rehearsed, Apollo 11 was significantly more complex.

It was the first time humans had ever set foot on another planetary body. The world's science and health communities were concerned that a returning lunar pathogen (i.e., Moon germ) might cause problems here on Earth. It was also a momentous occasion in the history of all mankind, generating an enormous amount of media interest. And President Richard M. Nixon wanted to personally welcome the space travelers back to their home planet. All these items injected additional complexity into the planning process.

Overcoming all these difficulties, Hornet was quietly patrolling her "end-of-mission" station in the mid-Pacific Ocean early on the morning of July 24, 1969. President Nixon and his entourage arrived onboard by helicopter and at 6 a.m. local time, he observed the Apollo splashdown from the Flag Bridge. Once the three astronauts had been airlifted aboard the ship and were ensconced in the Mobile Quarantine Facility, the President welcomed them back in a TV ceremony watched by over 500 million people worldwide. Shortly thereafter, Hornet edged up to the bobbing spacecraft, plucked it from the sea with her Boat & Aircraft crane and headed toward Hawaii.

The recovery of the astronauts, spacecraft, and Moon rocks was performed so flawlessly that Hornet was assigned to recover the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission only four months later.

On July 10, 1969, a Navy barge carried most of the NASA recovery equipment from an airfield to the USS Hornet. Two Mobile Quarantine Facilities were carefully lifted onto the ship's starboard side elevator, towed into hanger bay #2, and lashed to the deck for the entire journey.

During a practice recovery (SIMEX), UDT-11 decontamination specialist LT Clancy Hatleberg leaped from the Helo #66 cargo hatch to begin the astronaut decontamination part o the SIMEX . The recovery force performed 26 SIMEXes in various sea states and weather conditions during the cruise.

Astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins exited Columbia wearing Biological Isolation Garments. The UDT "decon" swimmer LT Clancy Hatleberg wiped them with a cloth mitt soaked in sodium hypochlorite, a bleach-like agent, to kill any possible Moon germs on the outside of their suits.

After exiting the recovery helicopter #66, the three astronauts walked across Hornet's hangar bay and entered the Mobile Quarantine Facility, trailed by NASA flight surgeon Dr. William Carpentier. NASA Quarantine Manager John Stonesifer (wearing suit) observed the personnel transfer carefully.

Members of the international science and health communities were concerned about the possibility of lunar pathogens contaminating the Earth. After retrieving the astronauts, helicopter #66 was decontaminated on the flight deck with formaldehyde gas pumped through its cargo bay. Members of the international science and health communities were concerned about the possibility of lunar pathogens contaminating the Earth. After retrieving the astronauts, helicopter #66 was decontaminated on the flight deck with formaldehyde gas pumped through its cargo bay.

In a televised ceremony watched by over 500 million people worldwide, President Richard M. Nixon welcomed the Apollo 11 astronauts back from their historic journey. From left to right: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, all wearing "Hornet Plus Three" lapel buttons.

With people around the world were transfixed on their TV's and listened during President Nixon's speech, hundreds of Hornet's sailors joined the media and dignitaries as eyewitnesses to the historic ceremony from any vantage point they could find.

After President Nixon left Hornet, she crept alongside the bobbing Columbia until a shot-line was thrown to the UDT team waiting on the spacecraft. While the spacecraft was lifted from the water, UDT swimmers, seen next to the ship in a raft, started their climb up a rope net.

Columbia was lowered onto Hornet's starboard side elevator just low enough for the ship's crew to remove the flotation collar. Shortly after this, she was lifted up, placed on a NASA dolly and towed next to the Mobile Quarantine Facility, where the Moon rocks were safely removed.

Apollo 11 astronauts Collins (l), Aldrin (c) and Armstrong (r) were able to relax inside the Mobile Quarantine Facility during their 52-hour journey to pearl Harbor, Hawaii, aboard the USS Hornet. They also underwent periodic medical examinations and participated in several ship ceremonies.

On July 26, 1969, Hornet entered Pearl Harbor and was nudged up to Pier Bravo at the Naval Base by two tugboats, The gold-colored Apollo 11 command module Columbia was displayed on the flight deck 200 feet forward of the superstructure, in full view of the welcoming crowd.

The Mobile Quarantine Facility, with the three astronauts, doctor and technician still inside, was offloaded from Hornet and placed on a mobile cargo transport vehicle. It was transported to Hickam AFB and flown to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on a USAF C-141 Starlifter.