Apollo 4 Flight Recovery Film Shomphe

Apollo 4 (November 9, 1967) was the first unmanned test flight of the Saturn 5 AS-501 Launch Vehicle, as well as the first "all-up" test for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with all rocket stages and spacecraft fully functional. This collection consists of one reel of 8mm motion picture film shot by Peter Shomphe aboard the USS Bennington during the Apollo 4 recovery mission.

Apollo 4 (November 9, 1967) was the first unmanned test flight of the Saturn 5 AS-501 Launch Vehicle, as well as the first "all-up" test for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with all rocket stages and spacecraft fully functional. The mission lasted nearly nine hours and all objectives were successfully completed. The Command Module splashed down in the North Pacific Ocean and was recovered by the USS Bennington. Peter Shomphe (Boilerman Petty Officer 3rd Class) was assigned to the number 4 fireroom aboard the Bennington during the recovery mission and filmed the proceedings from the smoke watch station.