FLOWN TO THE MOON ON APOLLO 13

FLOWN United States flag, made from silk, 4 x 6 inches, INSCRIBED on the lowest white bar with: "Flown around the moon on Apollo 13 FRED HAISE LMP." in blue pen. Mounted between paragraphs on a typed letter dated April 11, 2005 describing the dramatic events of Apollo 13

Flag mounted to letterhead with double sided tape (four small pieces to each verso corner). No apparent condition issues.
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INSCRIBED and SIGNED: "Flown around the moon on Apollo 13 FRED HAISE LMP" in blue pen. Mounted between paragraphs on a typed letter (8 1/2 x 11 inches) describing the dramatic events of Apollo 13, dated April 11, 2005.  

The typed letter reads: "The United States flag displayed below was carried around the moon on the flight of Apollo 13 during April 11 to 17, 1970. The flag was stowed in my Lunar Module Personal Preference Kit (PPK) and was scheduled to be taken to the lunar surface during third manned lunar landing. However, at about 56 hours into the mission, an oxygen tank explosion in our Service Module caused a major loss of electrical power to the Command Module. Jack Swigert first radioed: 'OK, Houston, we've had a problem here.' Then Commander James Lovell clearly called Mission Control with: 'Houston, we've had a problem!' 

This even caused a scrub of the lunar landing and forced us to move into the Lunar Module in order to survive a four day journey around the moon and return back to earth. Countless individuals from NASA and our contractor teams worked around-the-clock to ensure our safe return.

The flag has been in my personal space artifact collection since 1970 which is now 35 years after the dramatic flight of Apollo 13. I have written "Flown around the moon on Apollo 13, Fred Haise, LMP" along the lowest white bar." 

Related lots: 142, 144, 145