Stock Photo - U.S. Navy underwater demolition team swimmers assist the Apollo 9 crew during recovery operations just after splashdown. They have already attached a flotation collar to the Command Module (CM). Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot, is about to climb into raft. In background is astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot. Still inside the spacecraft is astronaut James A. McDivitt, commander. Splashdown occurred at 12:00:53 p.m. (EST), March 13, 1969, only 4.5 nautical miles from the prime recovery ship, USS Guadalcanal, to conclude a successful 10-day Earth-orbital mission in space.