Carl J. Seiberlich

Rear Admiral Carl Joseph Seiberlich (July 4, 1921 – March 24, 2006) was a naval aviator in the United States Navy who commanded the aircraft carrier that picked up the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 astronauts after splashdown in the Pacific. He was the first man qualified to land airships, airplanes and helicopters on an aircraft carrier.

Early life Carl J.Seiberlich was born in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1921, to Charles A. and Helen L. (Dolan) Seiberlich. In high school he joined the Sea Scouts, earning the Quartermaster Award, its highest rank. His first experience of flight came when he accepted a demonstration ride around New York Harbor in a Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro from aviation pioneer Harold Pitcairn.

On graduation from high school, Seiberlich received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, but a physician at the Philadelphia Navy Yard rejected him for having flat feet. He instead entered the University of Pennsylvania, but later decided to transfer to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. While there he served briefly in the Battle of the Atlantic on the troop ships and . He graduated in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation, and accepted a commission as an ensign in the United States Navy Reserve in April 1943. In 1963 he became the navigator of the aircraft carrier . He qualified to land HSS-1 Seabat helicopters on an aircraft carrier, thereby becoming the first naval aviator to qualify to land airships, airplanes and helicopters on an aircraft carrier. In May 1969, he assumed command of the aircraft carrier . As such, he was in charge of the recovery of the crew of Apollo 11 on July 24, 1969, and of the crew of Apollo 12 on November 24, 1969. He remained in command of Hornet until it too was decommissioned, in June 1970. He then became the commander of Antisubmarine Warfare Group 3, flying his flag from the aircraft carrier . a daughter, Heidi Seiberlich, and four grandchildren, Cole Frederic Seiberlich, Blair August Seiberlich, Carl Robert Weimer, and Margaret Whitney Weimer. He died at Reston Hospital Center in Virginia on March 24, 2006. A memorial Catholic mass was held on July 11 at the Fort Myer Chapel in Arlington, Virginia, after which he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.