SWIGERT, JOHN L. “JACK.” (1931-1982). American astronaut and politician who, with his fellow Apollo 13 astronauts, holds the record for the furthest any human beings have ever traveled from Earth. TLS. (“Jack”). ½p. 4to. Washington, June 5, 1973. On his personal stationery illustrated with the Washington monument positioned next to a launch pad making it look like a rocket. To casino executive RALPH DELLIGATTI.

“Thanks so much for your kind letter and the enclosed brochure covering the March Silver Scramble Golf Tournament. It sure looked like fun and I am sorry that I missed it.

In answer to your question, I have heard no reports from the Astronaut office in connection with the golf tournament. Of course, that is probably because I’m some twelve hundred miles away. You might ask the same question of Charlie Duke who would be in a much better position to give you this information...”

A mechanical engineer, Swigert became a fighter pilot serving with the Air Force and National Guard before entering private life as a test pilot. In 1966, NASA recruited him to join Astronaut Group 5 and the Apollo mission.

In April 1970, Swigert served as command module pilot for Apollo 13, a manned mission to the moon. However, after departure, the mission’s moon landing was aborted due to a malfunction of the electrical and life-support systems caused by a ruptured oxygen tank. The incident forced all four astronauts aboard to spend two days in the lunar module meant for only two people while mission control worked to return them to earth. The dramatic events were the subject of the 1995 film Apollo 13. Swigert’s reputation was tarnished after he participated in the Apollo 15 postal covers incident, a scandal in which astronauts agreed to carry unauthorized postal covers into space in exchange for payment from a West German stamp dealer. Subsequently he served as executive director of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Science and Astronauts. He was elected to Congress in 1982, but died prior to taking office.

Our letter mentions Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke (b. 1935), who, at the age of 36 and as part of the Apollo 16 mission in 1972, was the youngest person to walk on the moon.

Delligatti worked in several casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and the Bahamas and is the author of The Last Casino.

Folded and in excellent condition.