Bob’s Watches is proud to offer a lifelong collection of Navy memorabilia, including a ref. 1675 Pepsi Rolex GMT- Master, from Thomas Francis Finley Jr., a United States Navy veteran who served for 28 years and retired as a Navy Captain.
We initially got in contact with Tom over the summer regarding his GMT Master and when we heard the extraordinary story we knew it needed to be told. That is why we created the Apollo 14 Ocean Recovery auction, featuring a vintage Rolex 1675 among other special items. The auction is organized as a single-lot auction to showcase this amazing story and piece of history and, in the process, find a new guardian for his priceless collection.
Tom joined the Navy in October 1966 and piloted the H3 helicopter throughout his career. He was involved with various special operations, including the retrieval of the astronauts from Apollo 14 after splashing down in the South Pacific Ocean on February 9, 1971.
Tom served a crucial role in the recovery of the Apollo 14 mission as he was the co-pilot of the helicopter that picked up the astronauts. Apollo 14 was the eighth crewed mission by the United States and the third to land on the Moon. The prime crew members were Alan B. Shepard Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, and Stuart A. Roosa. It was on this mission that a famous video was recorded, depicting NASA astronaut Alan Shepard hitting a golf ball from the lunar surface using a makeshift club.
After splashing down in the South Pacific, the astronauts were transported by Tom’s helicopter to the USS New Orleans, which was the prime recovery vessel. From the USS New Orleans, the astronauts were then flown by Tom and his crew to Pago-Pago in American Samoa.
Tom is now a volunteer at the USS Midway in San Diego and has been a docent for the last 17 years and an instructor on the ship for the last 15 years. He has logged nearly 8,000 volunteer hours aboard. Tom is ready to part with these possessions he has cared for over the last decades and for them to have a new caretaker.
We recently visited Tom onsite at the USS Midway, where an HS3 Helicopter similar to the one he flew during the Apollo 14 recovery mission is parked. It was an honor to interview him about this lot aboard the prestigious ship.
A Watch and Jacket: Symbols of a Career in the Skies
What started as a flooded military-issued watch would become a nearly lifelong partnership for Tom Finley and his beloved vintage GMT. Finley had a remarkable career as a helicopter pilot for the US Navy, flying in numerous special operations missions. According to Tom, “You can’t be late in the Navy,” so a reliable watch is necessary. When his issued watch broke, he headed to the Artland Watch Co. in Hong Kong, which came highly recommended by friends as a trustworthy and safe dealer for service members working overseas. He bought his Rolex 1675 in 1969 while on “shore leave” from the USS Kearsarge and treasured the watch so much that he kept the original box and papers, even writing his name and rank on the bottom of the box. The dynamic duo was virtually inseparable until it was entrusted with Bob’s Watches for a new generation of passionate watch collectors to enjoy.
The kit also includes Tom’s G1 flight jacket, issued at the dawn of his career in 1967. Like his Rolex GMT 1675, Tom wore the jacket often and even swapped the patches out occasionally. The fact that we can see where some of the old patches used to be and that this jacket is so nicely broken-in only adds to the provenance of the entire lot. He has graciously included the extra patches with the lot; some of the loose patches include an iconic Apollo 14 patch with a matching unused sticker, a couple of HSRON squadron patches, and more!
An Archive of Memories
Tom’s vintage Rolex GMT Master and flight jacket are among the most stand-out items in this lot. However, he is also parting with other remarkable items associated with his Navy career, including photos of him wearing the watch, which is clearly recognizable as a famous Rolex Pepsi GMT, as well as other photos Tom took himself with his Kodak Instamatic camera on the day of the recovery.
The original aviator’s flight book Tom used to log his missions also outlines the Apollo 14 recovery assignment, which he has so kindly tabbed to make it easier for its new owner to find. The mission is distinguished by the code “IPO,” which stands for “Foreign Search & Rescue Special Operation.” Tom’s role during the mission is detailed even further in the accompanying flight schedule from that day.
Cruise books are like yearbooks, traditionally produced by US Navy ships after long deployments. The cruise book made for the USS New Orleans where Tom Finley was stationed, also called “The Moon Book,” is a unique piece of history that only adds to the value and collectability of this entire lot. Both of his photos in the book are marked off for easy reference.
Spotlight on the Kitty Hawk Command Module Skin
A gold foil heat shield, also called the “skin,” shrouded the Kitty Hawk command module to protect it during re-entry. Tom Finley was gifted a piece of the original skin as a souvenir from one of the divers assisting in the recovery mission. It was initially tucked inside the Underwater Demolition Team II pamphlet included with the lot, which also features autographs from the prestigious dive team, including Fred Schmidt, the Olympic gold medal winner for the 1964 Medley relay.
Tom proudly displayed the Kitty Hawk skin in his office for years. However, it didn’t remain in his possession for long because a cleaning person accidentally discarded it a short while later. Tom, who currently volunteers on the USS Midway in San Diego, CA., shared the story about the unfortunate fate of the rare space artifact with a group of NASA employees a few years ago. Imagine his surprise when a replacement piece of Kitty Hawk skin arrived in the mail shortly after that tour with the skin enclosed in an accompanying card stating:
“This is to certify that the attached material was part of the outer skin of the Apollo 14 Spacecraft that carried astronauts Shepard, Mitchell, and Roosa on their historic flight to the moon 31 January – 9 February 1971. Signed Terry N. Slezak – MSC Lunar Receiving Lab Decontamination Team”
You can see the complete list of items and accompanying photos in the auction listing here.
A Bond Beyond Time
The bond between a seasoned Navy helicopter pilot and the tools of his trade is sacred. Each scratch, ding, or tear was well-earned and is worn like a badge of honor, representing the hard work experienced during a noble and fascinating career. Many items from this collection, particularly the Rolex GMT Master and flight jacket, accompanied Finley during most of his career and were more than mere tools of the trade. They bore silent witness to pivotal moments in his life and space history.
The Next Caretaker
The pieces included with this lot hold not just personal sentimental value but monumental historical significance. A great honor has been bestowed upon us to help Tom Finley find a new custodian for his vintage Rolex GMT and companion artifacts – someone who appreciates everything this collection represents and will treasure and continue to share its story.
By weaving together these intricate details, the narrative becomes a tapestry of human endeavor, passion, and history, making the auction not just about items but stories waiting to be cherished by a new guardian.
Tom Finley’s Rolex GMT Master 1675 along with all the other items hit the auction block during the next Bob’s Watches private Rolex auction, which will take place on November 10, 2023 at 9 am PST and run through November 14, 2023 until approximately 4 pm PST.
Visit the link below to register for the auction.
