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Here are the actual pictures of the Navy Seals (Frogmen) recovery the capsule and performing the "water egress" of the astronauts. Pilot of "Old 66" was HS 4 commanding officer CDR Don Jones (later Vice Admiral Jones). Also on board the helo, LCDR Carl Frank, AWC Novel L. Wood and AW2 James B. Dorsey.
STG3 Bob Cogg was the first in the 78° water to attach a sea anchor. Lt. jg R.J. Flanagan and SFC Don Schwab followed soon afterward with another sea anchor and to attach the floatation collar into place.
"After checking with the astronauts to make sure everything was alright, we just took our time and did the job right", stated Lt. jg Flanagan. The astronauts told the Navy frogmen over the intercom, to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. They expanded on the ages old joke about the moon as Bill Anders said the moon, "It's not made of limburger cheese--it's made of American cheese!"
The top photograph has been in a box in my closet(s) for the past 31 years. I donated it to the Yorktown Museum in 2001. They quickly had it enlarged to about 20 feet high and placed it on the USS Yorktown hangar bar museum in the space race/USS Yorktown exhibits. (on following pages)
The bottom photograph is from NASA.
From the cruise book, "One hitch in the entire recovery--While accompanying capsule alongside Yorktown for pickup, one of the frogmen from UTD-12 spotted a shark and warned his fellow frogman, who swam quickly to the raft."
Wire photo of President Lyndon B. Johnson in the Oval Office of the White House as he watches the Apollo 8 News coverage. CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite can seen on the left television set. There are Johnson family photos on the TV console--one of a younger Johnson with Lady Bird. On the wall is a portrait of President George Washington.
FULL CAPTION -- Washington, Dec. 27 --WATCHES ASTRONAUT RECOVERY ABOARD USS YORKTOWN -- President Johnson watches three-network coverage of the recovery of the Apollo 8 astronauts today from his White House office. (1968)
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