#gearing class

View of the recovery of the Mercury-Atlas 4 capsule (Mercury Spacecraft No. 8A) onto USS DECATUR (DD-936), after its successful mission.

Note: the extended antenna on top of the capsule.

Date: September 13, 1961

LIFE Magazine Archives: 13051381, 1152387

USS VESOLE (DD-878) escorting the Russian freighter Polzunov into international waters.

"The freighter was loaded with nuclear missiles and related equipment bound for the Soviet Union after being removed from Cuban soil, bringing an end to the Cuban Missile Crisis."

Photographed by Carl Mydans, LIFE Magazine, circa October 1962.

SB2C-5 Helldiver et F4U Corsair des escadrons de bombardement VB-89 et de chasse VF-89 à bord du porte-avions USS Antietam (CV-36) – 1945

A l'arrière-plan se trouve le destroyer USS Higbee (DDR-806)

Photographe : US Navy

Armstrong and Scott with Hatches Open

"Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and David R. Scott sit with their spacecraft hatches open while awaiting the arrival of the recovery ship, the USS Leonard F. Mason after the successful, but early, completion of their Gemini VIII mission. They are assisted by USAF Pararescuemen Eldrige M. Neal, Larry D. Huyett, and Glenn M. Moore. The overhead view shows the Gemini 8 spacecraft with the yellow flotation collar attached to stabilize the spacecraft in choppy seas. The green marker dye is highly visible from the air and is used as a locating aid."

Date: March 16, 1966

Note: the yellow coloring in the water is dye to make the capsule more visible to the recovery crew.

View of the Mercury-Atlas 6 "Friendship 7" spacecraft being retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean by USS NOA (DD-841), following astronaut John H. Glenn Jr.'s three-orbit space mission.

Date: February 20, 1962

NASA ID: S62-00941, link

"Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., is lifted into the recovery helicopter from USS NOA (DD-841) for transfer to USS RANDOLPH (CVS-15). Glenn's Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft landed in an area in the Atlantic approximately 800 miles southeast of Cape Canaveral in the vicinity of Grand Turk Island. He landed 41 miles west and 19 miles north of the planned landing target. Glenn and his spacecraft were recovered by NOA. The destroyer had the spacecraft aboard 21 minutes after landing and Glenn remained in the spacecraft during the recovery operation."

Date: February 20, 1962

"The Gemini-8 spacecraft, with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and David R. Scott still aboard, is hoisted aboard the destroyer USS LEONARD F. MASON. Trouble with the Gemini-8 Orbit Attitude and Maneuvering System (OAMS) forced an early termination of the mission."

Date: March 16, 1966

View of USS NOA (DD-841) recovering the Friendship 7 spacecraft with Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr. after the US's first orbital flight.

Crewmen of NOA line ship's rail holding welcoming sign to Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr.

NOA made the recovery after the historic flight when the capsule landed 44 miles from the primary recovery vessel, USS Randolph (CVS-15).

John Glenn is helped from his Friendship 7 capsule by NOA crewmen.

NARA: 7479611, 7479613, 7479607, 404792603, 404792600