4/17/1970 Apollo 13 Recovery, USS Iwo Jima

Commander Philip E. Jerauld (at microphone), ship's chaplain for U.S.S. Iwo Jima,

offers a prayer of thanks for the safe return of the Apollo 13 crew members

soon after they arrived aboard the recovery ship.

 

"O Lord, we joyfully welcome back to earth

Astronauts Lovell, Haise, and Swigert, who,

by your Grace, their skill and the skill of many

men, survived the dangers encountered on

their mission and returned to us safe and whole.

We offer our humble thanksgiving for this

successful recovery. Amen"

 

Standing in the center of the picture, from the left, are astronauts

James A. Lovell Jr., Commander;

Fred W. Haise Jr., Lunar Module Pilot;

and John L. Swigert Jr., Command Module Pilot.

The Apollo 13 Command Module "Odyssey"

splashed down at 12:07:44 p.m. (CST), April 17, 1970, to conclude safely a perilous space flight.

The three astronauts were picked up by helicopter and flown to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima.

Standing at left is Captain Leland E. Kirkemo, Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Iwo Jima.

Standing behind the chaplain, almost obscured, is Rear Admiral Donald C. Davis,

Commanding Officer of Task Force 130, the Pacific Recovery Force for the Manned Spacecraft Missions.

This photo was taken by Chaplain Jerauld from the flight deck of the Iwo Jima

This is the Iwo Jima cruise patch from that mission