A Look Back: Coronado, IB and Apollo 13

On this day in 1970 a local paper published a story about the Coronado crew and Naval Air Station Imperial Beach helicopter squadron that recovered Apollo 13 astronauts from a Lunar Module in the Pacific Ocean.

The recovery actually occurred April 17.

James Lovell, Fred Haise and John Swigert's mission lasted 142 hours and 54 minutes. Due to malfunctions, the three men nearly died and never made it to the moon.

Helicopter Squadron Four, the Black Knights, lifted the astronauts from the Pacific Ocean with the assistance of an underwater demolition team from Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado.

The astronauts boarded the helicopter, changed into fresh clothes and landed aboard the aircraft carrier Iwo Jima where a red carpet and the world were waiting.

The recovery mission was led by Commander Charles Smiley of Chula Vista. He was accompanied by Chief Glenn Slider and Mike Lounge, who lowered the hoist that pulled the men out of the water.

Helicopter Squadron Four picked up nearly every astronaut that ever went to the moon, and helicopter 66, which flew in several of the recovery missions, now sits aboard the deck of the USS Midway Museum in San Diego Bay.

The story appeared in the now defunct Imperial Beach Star-News.