posted 11-06-2007 05:34 PM               

It is my sense from the several accounts that from the moment the skipper of the Pierce got word of the location of the spacecraft, he quickly determined that even though his ship was the secondary recovery ship, he was closest to Aurora 7's actual landing site, so the Pierce took off like a, well, like a Sumner-class destroyer at flank speed.

The reporting from the deck of the Pierce was electric, with CBS newsman Bill Evenson saying:

Of course, there's no gambling in the Navy but believe you me, everybody's gonna be collecting bets tonight! Headed out at flank speed, thirty-two knots — with a wake a mile long behind us, water breaking over the bow, and we're on our way! Of course, we hear some rumored reports that the Air Force may, possibly, get there before us. Maybe so. But there isn't a man-jack aboard who will go along with this.

Reporting from the deck of the John R. Pierce, on its way to pick up Commander Scott Carpenter and his flying machine!

(For Spacious Skies: The Uncommon Journey of a Mercury Astronaut (New York: Harcourt, 2003), 292-93.)

But that's only the interval between Carpenter's recovery by chopper and the recovery of Aurora 7. But how long did it take the Pierce to reach the spacecraft? And when precisely did the Pierce learn the coordinates of the landing site? And, btw, why did the Pierce learn before the Intrepid did.

The primary question is, how many hours will a ship have to travel at 32 knots for a distance of 206 miles. The sea IIRC was calm with gentle swells. Or perhaps there is another source which cites the skipper's log??

Thanks in advance for any help.

posted 11-06-2007 08:13 PM               

It also mentions that the Prime Recovery Ship (Intrepid) was 244 NM from the MA-7 landing position and that "Long overshoot resulted in night retrieval." Unfortunately, there's not much else in the MA-7 entry that would help you, Kris.

posted 11-07-2007 06:57 AM               

Since the landing was outside the planned landing area (Area H), contingency recovery procedures were followed at MCC. The downrange recovery commander aboard the aircraft carrier Intrepid (CVS) was designated as mission coordinator and the Coast Guard and other U.S. naval commands were queried as to the location of merchant ships or naval vessels (other than those assigned to recovery forces) near the area of the interest. Information from these sources was evaluated and communications were established with the following three ships: A Coast Guard cutter at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, a merchantman located approximately 31 nautical miles north of the calculated landing position and the Farragut, a destroyer which was located about 75 nautical miles southeast of the calculated landing position. It was determined that the Farragut could arrive in the landing area first, so this ship headed for the landing area at best speed. The other two ships were so notified and they then continued with their normal operations.

(Time is elapsed time since launch)

04:50 - Recovery forces were informed that the new calculated landing position (CALREP) was 19"24'N, 63"53'W. An Air Rescue Service SA-16, amphibian aircraft was launched from Roosevelt Roads to proceed to the calculated landing position.

04:56 - a 00:00 Spacecraft landing.

(Time is now elapsed time since landing)

00:03 - The new calculated landing position (19"24'N, 63"53'W) was established as the best estimate of the spacecraft landing position. In the meantime, recovery forces from area H were proceeding at best speed toward the landing position.

00:36 - A P2V search aircraft reported visual contact with the spacecraft and that the astronaut was alongside in a liferaft.

00:56 - An Air Rescue Service SC-54 in the landing area prepared to deploy pararescue personnel with survival equipment and a spacecraft auxiliary flotation collar.

01:03 - HSS-2 twin-turbine helicopters were launched from the USS Intrepid with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the spacecraft of 07:43: (02:47 after spacecraft landing). These helicopters had the capability of personnel retrieval and return to the Intrepid.

01:07 The first pararescue man jumped from SC-54.

01:40 - A situation report from the mission coordinator (downrange recovery commander) indicated the following:

1. At 01:33 the astronaut appeared normal, waving to aircraft.
   
2. Pararescue team had been deployed.
   
3. Plans were to utilize HSS-2 helicopters for astronaut retrieval rather than the SA-16. These helicopters were deployed with a Mercury program doctor aboard.

NOTE: ETA of the Farragut at the spacecraft landing point was 03:19 and ETA of the Pierce (DD-13) was 06:34. The Pierce was equipped to retrieve the spacecraft and the Farragut was prepared to stand by to provide emergency assistance if required.

01:58 - The P2V search aircraft reported the flotation collar attached to the spacecraft and inflated.

02:59 - The astronaut was retrieved by an HSS-2 helicopter. The doctor reported condition of the astronaut as good. A second HSS-2 retrieved the pararescue team.

03:39 - The Farragut arrived in the landing area and maintained visual contact with the spacecraft.

04:14 - The astronaut was delivered to Mercury medical personnel aboard the Intrepid for medical examination and debriefing.

06:ll - The Pierce recovered the spacecraft and secured it aboard.