12/19/1972, Apollo 17 Splashdown and Recovery

 Cover Celebrates Successful Apollo 17 Mission

On December 7, 1972, Apollo 17, the final mission of the Apollo project, was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.  The crew of Apollo 17 spent three days on the Moon's surface conducting scientific experiments and taking samples.  The mission concluded on December 19, becoming the longest Moon mission in history.  This cover was postmarked on the day the mission ended.  It is a fitting tribute to the Apollo space project and its final mission.