Apollo-Soyuz 50th Anniversary

This one is near and dear to my heart. In June 1973 I wrote my first letter to a crew asking if I might design their patch. It was to General Tom Stafford the U.S. CDR of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. General Stafford responded in a letter dated June 20th. He thanked me for my interest but that the patch had to be a decision by both crews and that the Soviet Commander was an accomplished artist. Almost immediately after sending my initial request I decided that if they were going to consider me, I should have sent some art. My second letter crossed with his first and on June 27th, I received his second reply. General Stafford was always kind and graciously encouraged me.   Needless to say I didn't get the assignment but over the years I maintained contact with the General and gifted him with some of my commemoratives. He put them on display in his museum. In the summer of 2022, General Stafford and I collaborated on a special ASTP 50th patch for his museum. The plan was for h