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Author
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Topic: Space Cover 506: USS Lake Champlain PRS
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Bob M
Member Posts: 1744
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-16-2019 09:39 AM
   
Space Cover of the Week, Week 506 (March 16, 2019) Space Cover #506: USS Lake Champlain PRS CoversAmong the scarcest and most desirable of the early manned spaceflight covers are those canceled on board the Prime Recovery Ship USS Lake Champlain for the recovery of Alan Shepard and the Freedom 7 capsule on Mercury-Redstone 3. One tally of these USS Lake Champlain/MR-3 PRS covers gives the known number at 52, but these are mostly collector-generated covers sent to the Lake Champlain. But certainly many other undocumented covers exist that were done by crew members as souvenirs, such as this cover shown. This very special cover is from a scan sent to me some years ago by a collector I don't remember (If it's your cover, please contact us). Among the many highlights on this cover is an exceptional Lake Champlain hand stamp cancel impression; an additional New York, NY cancel from the USS Amphion; a standard on board black rubber stamp word cachet; an addressed by someone on the ship; and as a great extra, autographed by Shepard, along with a superb personal inscription by him. Three other special Lake Champlain MR-3 PRS covers are shown in SCOTW 108. |
micropooz
Member Posts: 1512
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 03-16-2019 12:46 PM
Great cover Bob! And the addressee (Capt H. F. Rommel) was a past president of the Universal Ship Cancellation Society, the folks who collect ship-postmarked covers. |
cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 691
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 03-16-2019 01:15 PM
I am happy enough to have this great cover in my collection. |
bobslittlebro
Member Posts: 179
From: Douglasville, Ga U.S.A.
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 03-17-2019 03:49 AM
This is a superb cover Bob. The first one I have seen signed by Alan Shepard. quote:
Originally posted by cosmos-walter:
I am happy enough to have this great cover in my collection.
Did you purchase this great cover already signed by Shepard or did you have Shepard sign for you? |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 03-17-2019 07:15 PM
Another fantastic MR-3 prime recovery ship cover, but this one, has the best Shepard-signed inscription that I have seen on any sort of MR-3/Freedom 7 cover or photo!What a great addition to your astronaut signed cover collection, Walter, and what do you know about its origin and provenance? I was mailed a MR-3 Captain's Cover during the early/mid-1990's ago by a SUer and had it signed by the first American in space during a private signing with him. If I recall correctly, Shepard had inscribed on the rare USS Lake Champlain recovery ship cover something like, "MR-3 Pilot/Freedom 7," but nothing like this one.
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Eddie Bizub
Member Posts: 81
From: Kissimmee, FL USA
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 03-18-2019 12:42 AM
Great cover Bob! I have to ask though...what, if any connection does USS Amphion cancel have with Shepard's MR-3 flight? |
cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 691
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 03-18-2019 09:18 AM
Bob and Ken, thank you very much for your warm words. Back in 1987 I made a proposal to Alan Shepard before I sent this cover to be signed through the mail. I corresponded with Capt. Rommel, who quitted collecting after he was robbed. To the best of my knowledge USS Amphion did not have any connection to Shepard's MR-3 flight. |
yeknom-ecaps
Member Posts: 660
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 03-18-2019 08:25 PM
The cancel seems to be the arrival date of the envelope to the ship as it was addressed to there - usually they are back stamped with the arrival date but this is on the front. |
cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 691
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 03-19-2019 05:13 AM
Tom, you are right. That's exactly what it is. |
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