CAPTAIN RONALD E. EVANS - COMMEMORATIVE ENVELOPE SIGNED CO-SIGNED BY: HARRISON "JACK" SCHMITT - HFSID 136699

RONALD E. EVANS and HARRISON SCHMITT. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Harrison Schmitt" and "Ron Evans", 6½x3¾. Cover commemorating the Apollo 17 U.S. Navy Atlantic Recover Force, 8-cent flag stamp affixed, postmarked Norfolk, VA, December 19, 1972, the day Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific. RONALD E. "RON" EVANS (1933-1990), who orbited overhead in the command module, America, during the Apollo 17 mission, had been one of 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966. He served as a member of the astronaut support crews for the Apollo 7 and Apollo 11 flights and as backup Command Module pilot for Apollo 14. Apollo 17, which was launched on December 7, 1972 and concluded on December 19, 1972, was the last scheduled manned mission to the Moon. It set records for the longest manned lunar landing flight, longest lunar surface extravehicular activities, largest lunar sample return and longest time in lunar orbit. While fellow astronauts Eugene Cernan (spacecraft Commander) and Harrison Schmitt explored the Taurus-Littrow landing area, Evans made visual geographical observations, photographed specific targets and operated highly sophisticated scientific equipment carried in the command module SIM-bay. He later completed a one hour and six minute extravehicular activity during the return flight, successfully retrieving three camera cassettes and inspecting the equipment bay area. Evans retired from NASA in March 1977. HARRISON HAGAN "JACK" SCHMITT (born in 1935), the first scientist-astronaut, received his Ph.D., a Doctorate in Geology, from Harvard University in 1964. Selected by NASA in June 1965, Schmitt was the backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 15. The Lunar Module pilot for the Apollo 17 mission, he became the 11th man to walk on the Moon (December 11, 1972). Schmitt later served in several capacities for NASA, including Chief of Astronaut-Scientists, before resigning in 1975. Elected to the U.S. Senate from New Mexico as a Republican in 1976, he served from 1977-1983, losing reelection in 1982. Schmitt is the only man to both walk on the Moon and serve in the U.S. Senate. Slightly creased, light diagonal crease at the "is" of Harrison and the "Ev" in Evans. Light rectangular stain at lower right margin from removal of address label. Fine condition.