GEMINI RECOVERY SUPPORT
The 1965-66 Crew was trained to aid in the recovery of space capsules of the Gemini Ere
This training continued through the years as required. See Apollo Page or Cruise Book

All Gemini Recoveries occured in the Atlantic, except  Gemini VIII
The USS Kawishiwi AO-146 was not in the area to participate.

Other Gemini Landings

......Just before KAWISHIWI left for the Far East, she participated in the GEMINI VII mission ..early in November of 1965, .as a recovery ship in the mid Pacific rea.......With the destroyers USS COCHRANE (DDG-21) and USS RENSHAW (DD-499), we formed the surface recovery group.
.....This mission took about a week and during this period much time was devoted to training with recovery gear. Several unreps were also accomplished which served to ready the ship for the upcoming West Pac Tour.

<-- The motor whaleboat team with Ens Newman in charge, is shown in action. Murphy, SN, is the bow-hook, Lutz, FN, the engineer, and Blount, BM3, the coxswain.

(notice the capsule is a dummy)
 The capsule is captured and hoisted aboard......

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Below: Bremer, SA, left, serves as a back-up hoseman for Baker SN, in the asbestos suit.
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Meanwhile: Dr. Holmes, left, is shown examining Reppert, HM2, while McCombs, HMC, records. Dr. Holmes was assigned to the ship for the mission.
Robin Huber, SN Fox Div. remembers where the Kawishiwi was posted outside the target area in case they missed. He was a volunteer swimmer and got some training in a Pearl Harbor swimming pool to learn how to attach the flotation collar around the craft just in case. The ship rehearsed picking a dummy capsule out of the water. 
Lenny Scaletta, FTG SN, remembers The USS Kawishiwi was also assigned to a secondary location near Pearl Harbor for the Gemini XI Space Mission. She was on location 9 Sept. 1966. Crew members Randy Greenley FTG SN and Gary Plavljanich FTG SN ( aka Ivan ) trained with the Navy Seals for the mission. On .. 15 September 1966 the module landed in the Atlantic and the "Special K" was not needed and she pulled back into Pearl Harbor.
Randy G. Greenlee FTG SN, remembers the Gemini Capsule recovery missions and the training we did as the Kawishiwi recovery team.  We went to the Recovery training School in Pearl.  I don’t remember if the trainers were Seals or UDT back then.  As I remember, the training lasted about a week.  The 1st thing we had to do was to swim (4) ¼ mile laps in the canal to prove we could survive in the water for a bit.  Then we were taught how to properly swim with snorkel, mask and fins.  We were then given pool training on how to attach the flotation gear to the capsule.  If I remember correctly, timing was important here because without the flotation gear the capsule had only a limited about of flotation life.  Another important fact was the ability to hold one’s breath because most of the work had to be done under water.  On the last day of training the capsule was put into the canal and we were timed on our performance in order to pass.  Unfortunately we did not get to try out our new skills because Gemini put down in the Atlantic.

Three of my best friends during that period were Gary ‘Ivan’ Plavljanich, Lenny Scaletta and Robin ‘Hubie’ Huber.  We were in FOX division and were Fire Control Technicians.  Our job was to maintain and operate the computers, directors, radar and related equipment that locked on to and tracked air and surface targets during battle.  FOX division also included the gunners mates. 

Stamp on Ebay Dec 2, 2006