While searching through several old NASA photos while looking through some of the Speedmasters on record as having flown in space, specifically on Apollo missions, I came across two interesting photos. Both photos are of Donn Eisele suiting up for Apollo 7, one of which shows him wearing two Speedmasters, and in the other he appears to be only wearing one. In the second photo, it would seem that he had either taken off the second, or possibly had not yet put it on - unless it could be hiding somehow.

We know that he was issued two Speedmasters for the flight, NASA S/N 38 & S/N 34. According to records shown at S/N 38's auction in 2007, there was no documentation of 38 having flown on Apollo 7 - only 34 was documented to have flown. 38 sold at auction for $204,000, and S/N 34 went missing while on loan from the Smithsonian in Ecuador (hopefully I can share more info on that soon).

Do we have any other reasons to believe 38 was flown on Apollo 7? Any idea as to a possible explanation to these photos?

Photo 1 - Two Speedmasters:


Photo 2 - One Speedmaster:


For fun - S/N 38 on display (note that you can see the "S/N 38" engraved on the side of the lower left lug):

S/N 38 display. Interestingly, this museum says that it was "worn on Apollo VII," though there appears to be no certain documentation of it.

 

I believe Eisele does wear the second Speedmaster identified as #38 during his Apollo 7 mission. As for an explanation as to why the second watch on his right arm disappears in the photos, I can only offer speculation and these pictures.

First, here is the Apollo 7 stowage list showing that only 3 Speedmasters (chronograph) should have been onboard Apollo 7.





As you point out in the image you posted above Eisele is seen wearing two Speedmasters while suited up on the morning of October 11th. Assuming his issued Speedmaster #34 is on his left arm on the white Velcro strap (like the others) the second has to be the non-documented #38 on the black Velcro strap in question.



What happens between the above image and the following image is only speculation on my part but I believe the watch was simply removed from his arm for some reason and most likely stuffed into a pocket on his suit. At this late time in the suiting up procedure I think this could be a likely possibility.

Here is the crew walking out on the morning of October 11th and Eisele is not wearing the second watch on his right arm.



**Correction per @speedyphil Eisele leads the way followed by Cunningham and Schirra.

Fast forward to October 22nd the landing date.

Here is an image of the crew exiting the recovery helicopter onboard the USS Essex. Notice all three are still wearing the white Velcro strap wrapped multiple times around their wrists.



Minutes later this photograph is taken as the crew addresses the USS Essex crew. Notice the second watch, what I believe to be #38, on Eisele's right wrist.



Enlarged image of the second Eisele Speedmaster which I believe is #38 that was flown along with his issued #34.



I can not imagine why Eisele would change the wrist he was wearing his watch on during the brief walk from the helicopter to the platform. In my opinion the only conclusion to make is that he is indeed wearing two Speedmasters one of which was not documented for some reason making both #34 and #38 flown watches onboard Apollo 7.

All photos credit NASA

 

Although interesting question.

 

This is THE best thread I’ve read here in quite a while. Thank you [emoji1417]

 

Let me see... Apollo 7 happens to be my favorite Speedmaster mission...
Almost 49 years ago to the day...
The second photo showing Eisele leaving the suiting facility was taken on July 26, 1968 during one of two planned Manned Altitude chamber runs...
The first photo showing CMP Donn Eisele was taken on October 11, 1968 during preparations for the actual launch...
So these photos were taken almost 100 days apart...

Later Apollo missions didn't wear the crew patch on the suit during testing & training days and only wore the crew patch during actual launch day!
More Apollo 7 photographs, scanned from my NASA photo collection at MoonwatchUniverse
https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
.

 

Here's another good photo, taken September 9, 1968 showing Command Module Pilot Donn Eisele in preparation for an upcoming egress test.
Note he wore a Speedy on long black velcro upside down on his right fore arm...
FYI on most Apollo 7 photos, whatever date taken, Eisele is seen wearing two Speedmaster chronographs...

Furthermore the Apollo 7 walk-out photo to the astrovan on October 11, 1968 shows the prime crew with CMP Donn Eisele leading the way, LMP Walter Cunningham in the middle leaving Commander Walter Schirra in the rear...

 

Thanks for the correction on the order of the walk out. I see where the walkout image originated from now and the caption pertaining to the order they walked out in. I was working from this image as they left the suit room on the morning of October 11th believing they exited the building the say way since the exiting image is not clear and the image I was working with was not captioned. Interesting how the order is reversed from leaving the suit room to exiting the building to the van. Here the order is Slayton followed by Schirra, Cunningham, and Eisele out of view last.


Credit - NASA

I threw out the second image as well since it was not taken on the launch date. If Eisele is leading the way into the van that is even more evidence that what can be the second Speedmaster on the black Velcro strap is indeed seen on his right arm when he left and with him as I noted upon his return on the Essex.

 

It looks like Wally is about to pounce on Deke...

 

Great info guys!

Gotcha! I considered this, but the source that I had found the photo must have mis-captioned it, stating that it was on launch day - that or I misread. How is it that you're able to tell that the second photo was taken nearly 100 days prior? Of course they did tons of training, so its easy to see how this was simply a training day, but what give it away?

If indeed Eisele leads the group, then perhaps could the second black line on Eisele's left arm be the second Speedmaster? All arms show a black band that I believe to be the connector between their gloves and the arm of their suits, but Eisele has a second black band just further up his arm. This looks consistent with my first photo of the two Speedmasters.



Given that it appears that Eisele was in the practice of wearing two, I can't think of a reason that he would alter that procedure on the day where it mattered most - launch day. But perhaps you guys could be right. If he does have his second Speedmaster on his person during the launch (as it appears to be by nature of your keen observations of their return photos), then why wouldn't he be wearing it? And even more curiously, I wonder why wouldn't it be listed on the stowage list.

This is all super interesting to me. Great info here.

 

The dark rings below the pressure gauge is the locking ring between the glove and the suit arm. On Eisele the second dark band above the gauge is most likely the second Speedmaster on the black Velcro strap and would be consistent with the other image from earlier that morning.

The last revised stowage list was provided to North American Rockwell for the Apollo 7 capsule preparation on June 10, 1968. The list was a guide for what was to be packed and also used for weight calculations. The standard was one issued watch per astronaut. Why Eisele wore two during his training and on his mission will most likely continue to be a mystery.

 

Why is one upside down is also a question or perhaps a clue?

Also note the picture of them getting off of the helicopter might be a staged PR picture taken later.

 

Interesting indeed. I hadn’t even noticed that. The Sept 9 photo above clearly shows it upside down while suited up, while the return photo (staged or not), more expectedly, is the correct orientation.

The second Speedmaster has to be for the chronograph only. You’re certainly not telling any time with the watch upside-down, and why would you because you already have another one to your right. I’m guessing that the chrono was too hard to actuate while on the left hand with your space suit on, so he flipped it so that he could uses it as a secondary timer.

I nearly had the opportunity to meet and speak with Alan Bean recently, and would have loved to see if he had insight to this, but unfortunatey missed him. I would imagine Alan might have even known Donn and could have had some insight, or at least would have had an idea as to why. Oh well....

 

Maybe we need to think outside the box. How about this theory?

In the order they are sitting in the capsule Eisele is seated in the center couch with Schirra to his left and Cunningham to his right. If your sitting in a capsule for hours running procedures maybe it's possible Eisele wasn't using the watch on his right arm but Cunningham was. From his position to the right of Eisele looking down and to the left the watch would appear correctly to him.

Walt is really good at answering questions. I just sent him the picture and asked if he had any recollection of a watch being positioned that way intentionally.

 

I was the being the same. Has anyone correlated the NASA serial list with the 2 watches in question? I thought that list said who they where issues to. I'm not home and on mobile so it's hard to look up. Where both issues to him?

 

That list of the NASA Speedmasters is no longer out there because it was riddled with errors and was out dated. I believe Omega and the NASM have or are in the process of revising it and it should be shared closer to the time of the new museum opening from my understanding.

If I recall correctly the list only contained the flown watches and it showed only #34 was issued to Eisele for Apollo 7, #38 does not appear on the list.

 

And and the mystery continues. Walt said that both of Donn's watches were positioned so he (Donn) could see them.

 

I'm new here. What is this new museum of which you speak?!!!

 

Welcome @Justme. The new larger Omega Museum opening next year replacing the current smaller one in Bienne, Switzerland.

 

In a mirror perhaps (though backwards).

 

I feel like it should be obvious, but who is the walt you’re speaking of?