Moon Men Return

This book documents the role played by USS Hornet (CVS-12) in the recovery of the Apollo 11 Command Module after its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on 24 July 1969. The book covers a period of time leading up to the recovery of Apollo 11, from approximately 5 June – 24 July 1969, during which crewmen of USS Hornet plus specialised NASA and DoD space flight recovery units prepared for the recovery operation.

Moon Men Return offers a detailed account of those preparations, drawn from both historical records and the personal memories of 80 men who served on board USS Hornet and directly participated in the recovery operation. The purpose of this book is to document for future generations the Navy’s role in the successful final phase of the historic flight of Apollo 11– the manned space flight which culminated in man’s first walk upon another celestial body, the moon.

About the Authors
Scott W. Carmichael is currently employed as the senior security and counterintelligence investigator for the Defence Intelligence Agency. He has accumulated a total of approximately 30 years of service with the Department of Defence. He lives with his wife and three children in Crofton, Maryland.
John M. Wolfram is a childhood acquaintance of Mr. Carmichael. Mr. Wolfram served from 1967–1971 as a member of the Navy’s UnderWater Demolition Team 11 (UDT-11). On 24 July 1969, Mr. Wolfram served with the 12-man UDT detachment which participated in the recovery of Apollo 11 after it splashed down in the Pacific Ocean upon its return from the moon.