This collection consists of a letter, in a commemorative postal cover, written by Ernest Frederick Fearn on board the USS Arlington while waiting for splashdown of Apollo 10. The collection also contains a color photograph of Fearn, in uniform, with his wife, Donna.
Apollo 10 (May 18 to May 26, 1969) was the first flight of a complete, crewed Apollo spacecraft to operate around the moon and served as a "dress rehearsal" for the lunar landing. Apollo 10 was also responsible for the first live color TV transmissions to Earth from space. The Apollo 10 Command Module, named Charlie Brown by the crew, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The primary recovery ship was the USS Princeton, and the USS Arlington was designated the primary landing area communications relay ship. Ernest Frederick Fearn was a Senior Chief Electronics Technician - ETCS aboard the USS Arlington during the Apollo 10 flight recovery mission.
Identifier
NASM.2018.0041
Date
1969
Provenance
Patricia Ammerer, Gift, 2018, NASM.2018.0041, Donated in honor of Joann C. Fearn.
Extent
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)
Archival Repository
National Air and Space Museum Archives
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a letter written by Ernest Frederick Fearn on board the USS Arlington while waiting for splashdown of Apollo 10. In the letter, written to his nephews, Fearn describes recovery plans. The letter was mailed in a commemorative postal cover from the U.S. Navy Recovery Force which is also included in the collection. Finally, the collection contains a color photograph, measuring approximately 1.75 by 3.25 inches, of Fearn in uniform with his wife, Donna.
Arrangement note
This collection is in original order.
Rights
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Restrictions
No restrictions on access
Citation
Apollo 10 Flight Recovery Letter [Fearn], NASM.2018.0041, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Topics
Astronautics Space flight Aircraft carriers
Type
Collection descriptions Archival materials Correspondence Photographic prints