Apollo 8 Cachets

APOLLO RECOVERY SHIP COVER & POSTMARK VARIETIES

Apollo 8 (AS-503) - 27 December 1968

Recovery Force Ships

Ship Type Designation Covers

Atlantic

USS Chukawan

SRS - Oiler

AO-100

Y

USS Guadalcanal

SRS - Carrier

LPH-7

Y

USS Francis Marion

SRS - Amphibious Transport

LPA-249

Y

USS Rankin

SRS - Amphibious Cargo Ship

AKA-103⁷

Y

USS Salinan

SRS - Fleet Ocean Tug

AFT-161

Y

USS Sandoval

SRS - Amphibious Transport

LPA-194

Y

USNS Vanguard¹

SRS - Tracking Ship (Dual Role)

T-AGM-19

Y

Pacific

USS Yorktown

PRS - Carrier

CVS-10

Y

USS Arlington

SRS - Communication Relay Ship

AGMR-2

Y (Scarce)

USS Chipola

SRS - Oiler

AO-63

Y

USS Cochrane

SRS - Guided Missile Destroyer

DDG-21

Y

USS Nicholas

SRS - Anti-Sub Destroyer

DD-449

Y

USS Rupertus^*6

SRS - Destroyer

DD-851

Y

Tracking & Communication Ships

USNS Redstone

TS - Pacific

T-AGM 20

Y

USNS Huntsville

TS - Pacific

T-AGM 7

Y

USNS Vanguard¹

TS - Atlantic

T-AGM 19

Y

USNS Mercury

TS - Pacific

T-AGM 21

Y

Recovery Control Center

Norfolk VA⁸

Atlantic Recovery Control Center

N/A

Y

Kunia HI

Pacific Recovery Control Center

N/A

Y (Hard to Find)

Not Involved

USS Paiute³

Fleet Ocean Tug

ATF-159

Y

* corner card dated Dec 27 - cover postmarked Jan 17

Postmark Variations

Ship

Description of Postmark
Scarcity

USS Yorktown Machine Cancel Common

USS Yorktown Hand Cancel - see interesting News article Scarce

USS Guadalcanal 'A.M.' below year Common

USS Guadalcanal 'A.M.' above year Less Common

USS Francis Marion Ship Name at Top of Postmark Common

USS Francis Marion Ship Name at Bottom of Postmark - Reported but not seen Less Common

USS Arlington³ Dec 21 1968 Postmark Scarce

USS Arlington Dec 27 1968 Postmark Scarce

Cachets

Cachet

Description of Cachet
Colours Type

Navy Recovery Force Cachet - Atlantic
Designed by Morris Beck it shows an Apollo rocket vertical
Maroon, Black Rubber Stamp

Navy Recovery Force Cachet - Pacific
Designed by Morris Beck it shows an Apollo rocket vertical
Maroon, Black Rubber Stamp

Beck Cachet - Atlantic Similar to Navy Cachet Blue-Red Printed

Beck Cachet - Pacific⁴ Similar to Navy Cachet Light&DarkGreen-Black Printed

Navy Recovery Force Cachet Colours & Beck Cachet Numbers

Ship

Known Cachet Colours

Beck Numbers

USS Chukawan Black 774

USS Guadalcanal Black 772

USS Francis Marion Black 775

USS Rankin Black small numbers of 773 to 776

USS Sandoval Black 773, 776

USS Yorktown Maroon 770, 771

USS Chipola Maroon None

USS Cochrane Maroon None

USS Nicholas Maroon None

USS Rupertus Maroon None

USNS Vanguard Black small numbers of 773 to 776

Interesting Cachets & Covers

Cachet

Description of Cachet
Colours Type

USS Yorktown Navy Cachet with Corner Card Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Yorktown Late Postmark with Ship's Cachet and corner card and Note Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Yorktown⁵ Similar to above cover but marked 'Return to Port' Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Rupertus⁶ Unusual US Navy Recovery Force - Corner Card dated Dec 27 - Postmark Jan 17 Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Rupertus^3,6 NASA Apollo 8 cachet - Postmark Dec 21 Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Cochrane³ Unusual US Navy Recovery Force Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Cochrane Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Guadalcanal Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back Black Rubber Stamp

USS Francis Marion Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back Maroon Rubber Stamp

USS Sandoval Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back Black Rubber Stamp

USNS Vanguard³ Navy Cachet including the text MOON ORBITAL FLIGHT
The version without the text is shown here Black Rubber Stamp

Ship	Description of Postmark	Scarcity
USS Yorktown	Machine Cancel	Common
USS Yorktown	Hand Cancel - see interesting News article	Scarce
USS Guadalcanal	'A.M.' below year	Common
USS Guadalcanal	'A.M.' above year	Less Common
USS Francis Marion	Ship Name at Top of Postmark	Common
USS Francis Marion	Ship Name at Bottom of Postmark - Reported but not seen	Less Common
USS Arlington³	Dec 21 1968 Postmark	Scarce
USS Arlington	Dec 27 1968 Postmark	Scarce

Cachet	Description of Cachet	Colours	Type
Navy Recovery Force Cachet - Atlantic	Designed by Morris Beck it shows an Apollo rocket vertical	Maroon, Black	Rubber Stamp
Navy Recovery Force Cachet - Pacific	Designed by Morris Beck it shows an Apollo rocket vertical	Maroon, Black	Rubber Stamp
Beck Cachet - Atlantic	Similar to Navy Cachet	Blue-Red	Printed
Beck Cachet - Pacific⁴	Similar to Navy Cachet	Light&DarkGreen-Black	Printed

Cachet	Description of Cachet	Colours	Type
USS Yorktown	Navy Cachet with Corner Card	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Yorktown	Late Postmark with Ship's Cachet and corner card and Note	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Yorktown⁵	Similar to above cover but marked 'Return to Port'	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Rupertus⁶	Unusual US Navy Recovery Force - Corner Card dated Dec 27 - Postmark Jan 17	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Rupertus^3,6	NASA Apollo 8 cachet - Postmark Dec 21	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Cochrane³	Unusual US Navy Recovery Force	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Cochrane	Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Guadalcanal	Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back	Black	Rubber Stamp
USS Francis Marion	Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back	Maroon	Rubber Stamp
USS Sandoval	Ship's Cachet - Usually on Back	Black	Rubber Stamp
USNS Vanguard³	Navy Cachet including the text MOON ORBITAL FLIGHT The version without the text is shown here	Black	Rubber Stamp

Note:
1) the USNS Vanguard had a dual role, firstly as a tracking ship and then it was moved to a different
position and acted as a Secondary Recovery Ship. Hence, two quite different cachets exist.
2) The cachet on the splashdown cover is not an official NASA cachet but a copy. The Official cachet was a self-adhesive with a similar design.
3) From the collection of Tom Steiner
4) From the collection of Steve Durst
5) From the collection of Robert Mcleod
6) The USS Rupertus was on standby in port but was never activated
7) On Recovery day, the 27 December 1968, the designation of the USS Rankin was AKA-103. However, this was due to change on 1 January 1969 to LKA-103. Thus during Apollo 8 its correct designation was AKA-103. However, the story doesn't end there. It appears from an examination of a couple of dozen covers that someone decided to cut out the initial A from the postmark several days before the changeover! This has not been generally recognised, probably due to the usual poor state of USS Rankin postmarks from the mission.
8) Sold on eBay during 2011

Ship	Type	Designation	Covers
Atlantic
USS Chukawan	SRS - Oiler	AO-100	Y
USS Guadalcanal	SRS - Carrier	LPH-7	Y
USS Francis Marion	SRS - Amphibious Transport	LPA-249	Y
USS Rankin	SRS - Amphibious Cargo Ship	AKA-103⁷	Y
USS Salinan	SRS - Fleet Ocean Tug	AFT-161	Y
USS Sandoval	SRS - Amphibious Transport	LPA-194	Y
USNS Vanguard¹	SRS - Tracking Ship (Dual Role)	T-AGM-19	Y
Pacific
USS Yorktown	PRS - Carrier	CVS-10	Y
USS Arlington	SRS - Communication Relay Ship	AGMR-2	Y (Scarce)
USS Chipola	SRS - Oiler	AO-63	Y
USS Cochrane	SRS - Guided Missile Destroyer	DDG-21	Y
USS Nicholas	SRS - Anti-Sub Destroyer	DD-449	Y
USS Rupertus^*6	SRS - Destroyer	DD-851	Y
Tracking & Communication Ships
USNS Redstone	TS - Pacific	T-AGM 20	Y
USNS Huntsville	TS - Pacific	T-AGM 7	Y
USNS Vanguard¹	TS - Atlantic	T-AGM 19	Y
USNS Mercury	TS - Pacific	T-AGM 21	Y
Recovery Control Center
Norfolk VA⁸	Atlantic Recovery Control Center	N/A	Y
Kunia HI	Pacific Recovery Control Center	N/A	Y (Hard to Find)
Not Involved
USS Paiute³	Fleet Ocean Tug	ATF-159	Y

Ship	Known Cachet Colours	Beck Numbers
USS Chukawan	Black	774
USS Guadalcanal	Black	772
USS Francis Marion	Black	775
USS Rankin	Black	small numbers of 773 to 776
USS Sandoval	Black	773, 776
USS Yorktown	Maroon	770, 771
USS Chipola	Maroon	None
USS Cochrane	Maroon	None
USS Nicholas	Maroon	None
USS Rupertus	Maroon	None
USNS Vanguard	Black	small numbers of 773 to 776