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Subscribe to RSSWatch Neil Armstrong's first step on the moon on July 20, 1969 and hear his now famous first words: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died Saturday, weeks after heart surgery and days after his 82nd birthday. Shortly after his death was confirmed, tributes began pouring in online.
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Lucky me: I saw him speak at Oshkosh, and I see Gene Cernan regularly. Wonderful men! RIP Neil and "look at " love" from both sides now....."
and why not come back and haunt those crazy people who doubt you went to the moon?
My daughter was one of the first babies born on that day. I can still remember all the tvs in the hospital were on the moon landing. All of sudden the nurse yells at the doctor "doctor they are landing on the moon, left me alone in the labor room. All of sudden my daughter, Shannon Lynn Neil Copsin was born. The nurses came in yelling at the doctor "she had her baby". The nurses at the hospital said "you should name her after Neil Armstrong" I agreed. We were on the news and newspapers in the US. I always wanted my daughter to meet him. So, I am so sadden by his death. Memories of that day are rushing thru my head now.
I still can't get that old Bette Midler song "The Wind Beneath My Wings" out of my head.
As I watched Mr. Armstrong step at last upon the moon so many years ago, I was in awe and it gave me hope that one day we all would know the mystery of interstellar flight; that the fantasies we saw on Star Trek would become a reality.
We are but a small dot in the Universe with so much to learn, so far to go and so much to overcome. I hope one day we will be wise enough and brave enough to venture out in search of 'new' worlds to discover, not to conquer. In beings to become friends with not just allies.
I hope there is a national day of mourning and flags are flown at half mast. Eagle Scout, Korean War veteran, astronaut, professor. What a great example for everyone to follow. RIP.
What has this country come to? They lowered the U.S. flag to half mast when that "crack head" Whitney Houston overdosed and died and now our "President" has refused or failed to extend that tribute and honor to Neil Armstrong. Shame on you Obama.
Neil Armstrong embodied the American spirit and united this country during a difficult time in our history. I thank you for your service and dedication. You will be remembered with deep reverence as a true American hero.
I remember sitting and watching him, I was 19 and that moment put its mark on my life. When we lived in Fort Myers my children were little, I'd let them play hooky to watch on television as the space shuttles went off, thenthey had to sprint to the door and actually see the shuttle going up. That can't be seen in the classroom. When I think man on the moon, I think of him. So every vacation without fail it has become tradition to drive from my town in Michigan to Wapokeneta, Ohio and the Neil ArmStrong Air and Space Museum as our first stop for our photo op. Two generations of children, growing up with an everchanging space program. His bravery changed lives and he was the luckiest person on this earth to do what he did. Never forgotten.
Humanity has lost a great American. I remember the day he stepped on the moon for the first time. I cannot imagine the courage it must have taken to undertake such an endeavor for the first time ever. He will be remembered with awe & reverence.
As I recall, it was Armstrong who announced the landing itself "Houston, Tranqility base.....the Eagle has landed"
Neil Armstrong - The Engineer, Scientist, & Astronaut who took our dreams, ambitions, & aspirations with him to the surface of the Moon, and returned them to us all shiny & nurtured. One can only imagine the wonderful conversation he's having with Carl Sagan at the feet of God. R.I.P. Neil - Godspeed & well Done!
I love all the tributes to a wonderful brave man...God speed...to him...he truly is with the stars in Heaven now...
Remembering where I was, watching the landing on a hot summer evening in Northwest Indiana. I was eighteen and couldn't contain my feelings of pride, fear, excitement. The sentiment he expressed stepping off the lunar module was humble yet acknowledged his small contribution for all mankind. I saw him several times in the next few years. Each visit reminded me of that humid, July evening when he awed the world and inspired a generation. Our only shared experience was the privilege of being educated at the preeminent university in Indiana. All Hail, our old Purdue! All Hail, Neil Armstrong!
That July evening, he did indeed awe the world. I watched the landing from my home town in Manitoba.
It was the summer of my 16th year. Such a pivotal age. My parents had no air conditioning back then and I remember sitting on the floor next to the front door screen trying to catch a breeze. It was a very hot summer in the south. As I watched the TV coverage of the Moon Landing.....I began to scream in excitement! He made it! I just saw history in the making! A first! I felt so lucky to be born. Thanks Neil Armstrong! You gave me memories which I have never forgotten. You are my HERO and the Greatest American Hero! My sympathies to his family. God Bless You and God Bless America!
Each day is one small step for each of us, but together, a giant leap for all mankind !
Let us all never forget the triumph of Apollo 11 and the will of mankind to conquer any challenge as one world - together . . .
No human ever went to the moon, it was all a big hoax. Neil Armstrong was a fraud!
Can we honor him by fixing our detiriating Space program? You know, so we can go back to the moon, and mars...
Regardless, we lost a compelling American, and an inspiration to several generations of young americans; boys and girls.
Forgive me for an addition to your comments, DevinS. Neil Armstrong did indeed inspire several generations of young Americans; boys & girls. But I think a more complete truth says that he inspired several generations of humanity around the globe. And, speaking as a Canadian; he was the very definition of a 'great American.'
Shame on NBC for making it so difficult to comment...
Anyways, we lost a compelling American today, he inspired young boys and girls from several generations of Americans aswell as people from all over the world.
Now can we honor him by fixing our deteriorting Space program?
WOW, still people who believe in the biggest HOAX ever done. Neil was perhaps a good ol Joe, but he sure as hell was never to the moon.
. . . and neither were you, Dennis......now take your meds and hope that someday, somehow you will return to sanity.
As a young lad growing up in the rural midwest, I followed the Apollo missions with the greatest enthusiasm. I had the NASA pictures, books, posters, etc. When Neil stepped onto the moon, I was in a state of wonder, pride, and awe. It remains in my mind mankind's greatest achievement - when we left our cradle, crossed the void, and stepped onto another world. My license plate is 72069 - I have had it for many years and will keep it as long as I'm alive. I enjoy sharing what it means with young people. Neil - you inspired my entire life and I will never forget you. - Michael
Spectrum, sorry, but you were hoaxed.
No. We honor him and every person that made an impact in this field in the 60s everyday with the Curiosity landing, the MER landing, and every other Mars landing that was once deemed impossible to do.........just like the moon landing.
We honor them by continuing the process to create SAFE, effective, and technologically advanced spaceships once thought could only be found in science fiction stories thanks to the inspiration and success of Apollo so that man can travel and go beyond the moon, going to asteroids, Mars, and and any place else beyond the Earth............and return home safely.
But of course you are too busy trying to find the fault and so power hungry with your "east coast west coast" mentality to realize the American space program is perfectly fine. They deserve more funding but besides that, the program is FINE. All you care about is pointing the finger and finding fault and just too ignorant to realize they may be out of the spotlight with the shuttles but are still working the puppets, still in control behind the stage. Just remember every time you point a finger at someone three are pointing back at you.
"Spectrum, sorry, but you were hoaxed."
Right. At the height of the Cold War, the Soviets never so much as hinted that we were faking it. If we had been, exposing it would, for them, have been the greatest propaganda coup of all time...
And quailblaster, you would have us believe that you (or the nonsense you read/watch) have learned something that the KGB, with all its resources, could not get out of even one of the hundreds of thousands of people involved?
(Yes, some wags will say they were in on it, too. But it's just as crazy to believe they would accept a hoax that casts them as the losers. Anyone who accepts either notion, understands neither the Cold War, or human nature.)
When the American people wake up and realize this moon nonsense was a hoax perpetrated on them by the Govt, then we can start to take our country back and return it to a Constitutional Republic.
It is very unfortunate when people like you find pleasure in trying to destroy the memories, the happiness and the truth that we all know....and YOU DON'T.
I was 39 in 1969 and my first grandson was born a week before my 39th birthday, I was amazed when the three astronauts landed on the moon and even MORE amazed when they took off and rejoined their space craft.
It is easy to be very optimistic about America when such men a Armstrong, Alderin and Collins are a part of our country. I lived through World War II and served during the Korean War. I hate to use wars as our time markers and think we should use the accomplishments of great men as the way we mark an interval of history.
I am very happy that I lived through the time when these men served us with their courage and intellect.
Neil Armstrong has been and always will be a hero to me and his loss is will be felt throughout the world. Has was not a hero to me for only his fantastic accomplishment as the first man on the moon, but also through his humility and faith. If we would all take a small step for a fellow man daily, we could all see the giant leap for mankind that he envisioned. I will do my best to honor my memory of him and take that small step for the betterment of those around me.
When these guys landed on the moon I was 10 years old and what sticks out in my mind the most to this day is the national campaign that was going on..or at least on TV.
These astronauts are just a bunch of "Litter Bugs" leaving all that junk and trash out there forever. LOL
Roger said, "Msnbc should be ashamed, His name was Neil Armstrong. Yikes !"
They should also be ashamed that they did not quote his words correctly as he stepped on the moon. Armstrong said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". He did not say, "That's one small step for A man". Nothing like these journalist graduating from these modern day colleges that teach nothing rewriting history.
God Speed and God Bless. You embodied the hope and belief that there is much beyond our small planet in your quiet grace and immeasurable accomplishments. You inspired all of us to keep reaching toward the stars. Thank you and your family for the sacrifices that were made so that you could show all of us that space travel is a reality and that exploration of other worlds is our opportunity. You really did take that that "...one giant leap for mankind".
His birthday should be a national holiday.
I remember it so clearly.. We were at my Brother and Sister-in-law's place watching it on the the TV.. in the early hours of the morning.. We put all the kids in the playpen where they all slept like loggs.. It was so warm.. NBC's Howard Cosel.. < spelling.. He did the Voice-over.. I don't know who was more excited.. Him -or - Neil... We were just kids.. SO Young..... sigh.....
Onward to the next frontier .. Godspeed Mr. Armstrong