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Neil Armstrong, 1930-2012
Born Wapakoneta, Ohio
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon, meeting President John F. Kennedy's 1961 goal for Americans to reach the moon by the end of the decade. Descending from the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) to the lunar surface, Armstrong declared, "One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind" as a camera beamed images back to earth. The lunar landing -- during which Armstrong had to override the LEM's autopilot to manually guide the aircraft to a safe landing on the moon -- represents a defining moment in Armstrong's distinguished career, which included service in the Korean War. In honor of his achievement, the nation recognized him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969; he also received many other national and international accolades. He went on to teach and to work in private industry and helped the nation continue to strengthen its space program.
Louis Glanzman, 1969 |