Posts: 17
From: Federal Way, WA, USA
Registered: Nov 2014

posted 11-12-2016 11:04 PM               

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Organizing my collection of recovery covers, I have a cover from the Atlantic Recovery Control Center for the Apollo 11 mission. Within the dial it indicates "AM."

Since the splashdown was nearly 5pm in the Pacific, why would the postmark indicate am? Is this an oversight? Something to do with that pesky date line? Did they start tracking in the morning?

Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005

posted 11-21-2016 06:12 PM               

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While I applaud your precision concerning the AM cancel, the Recovery Center was no doubt in full swing all day. The only FIP requirements are that the date tell a story and the location be nearby where the controlling event occurred.

If I were judging I would give you extra points for knowing the recovery occurred in the afternoon.

Posts: 17
From: Federal Way, WA, USA
Registered: Nov 2014

posted 11-26-2016 07:01 PM               

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Thank you for the reply.

I rather assumed they were occupied all day and making sure something as minor as the AM/PM designation was set correctly would be a low priority.

I was just interested and wondered if there was a story behind it which could be entertaining or enlightening.