posted 03-07-2021 10:16 AM               

Space Cover #600: MA-6 USS Antietam

This selection for Space Cover of the Week is an unusual secondary recovery ship cover for John Glenn's Mercury Atlas-6 flight.

As we know, USS Randolph was the designated prime recovery ship for the mission but that the actual recovery of Glenn and his Friendship 7 spacecraft was accomplished by USS Noa. The recovery fleet consisted of over 20 US Navy vessels stationed in contingency areas throughout the oceans of the world in case of an emergency that caused Glenn to reenter outside of the planned recovery zone.

USS Antietam was one of those secondary recovery vessels.

There are known covers postmarked on February 20, 1962 aboard USS Antietam but they are not plentiful. The above cover is very unusual as it has a late postmark of February 27 and also has a Space Craft Covers printed cachet. I assume it was supposed to be postmarked on the recovery date but for some reason it was not.

It has been reported that Joe Fitzpatrick who owned Space Craft Covers did obtain recovery covers from a few ships for Glenn's recovery and had the Space Craft cachet printed on them. However, USS Antietam was not one of those reported ships.

It is unknown how and why this cover exists. I do know that it was purchased at a stamp show in Orlando, Florida by the late Richard Learn. I know because I was there when he found it. A very unusual cover that I am proud to have in my collection.