"One small step for man....."

[knloregon]

With the death of Neil Armstrong, my memories and emotions surged today. On July 20, 1969, I was a lifeguard---in the lifeguard's chair--- at the Rockville Municipal Swim Center in a suburb of Washington DC, and, on a sultry hot and crowded day -- the pool teeming with the masses of what was then, still very much a blue collar city, the PA system came up over the din and childish screams of working class families packed into a public pool on a hot summer day... But soon, the significance became clear, and the crowd came to a near hush, as the PA played the real time audio from CBS news, and when Neil Armstrong said his historic words...

 

A cheer erupted that could have challenged a home run in Yankee Stadium during a late summer pennant race! Ah.. what a moment in American history! It was clear to me, as t must have been to every adult in the pool --- WE WON! We beat the Soviets to the moon! --- and for all of us Kennedy Democrats, it was sweet vindication, he had tasked America to do just that --- before the decade was over, and beat the deadline by nearly half a year!

 

But America had already become a mixed bag, and the triumph of Apollo 11 in space, was, on July 20, very much tempered by the experience of American troops on the ground in Viet Nam... (and no doubt some here had that, first and foremost on their minds)

 

So------ time for Candle members to weigh in! ------Do you remember where you were? ---Or if you were too young ---what are your impressions of this event?

[Thomas Promise]

A Great American. After his NASA service he became a professor at the University of Cincinnati.The movie Harper Valley PTA used a number of scenes at his home in Lebanon, Ohio. He will be missed.

Armstrong was a great man of bravery and courage. I posted on Twisted Candle of this milestone. Not one person made a remark or compliment to to this great achievement on this thread or the one on Twisted. Please don't balme the politicans for our troubles in the USA. Blame your God Damned Selves! Apathy will lead to bondage.

[Randy W]

This was posted by a NASA friend of mine on Facebook

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2012 by Randy W (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

With the death of Neil Armstrong, my memories and emotions surged today. On July 20, 1969, I was a lifeguard---in the lifeguard's chair--- at the Rockville Municipal Swim Center in a suburb of Washington DC, and, on a sultry hot and crowded day -- the pool teeming with the masses of what was then, still very much a blue collar city, the PA system came up over the din and childish screams of working class families packed into a public pool on a hot summer day... But soon, the significance became clear, and the crowd came to a near hush, as the PA played the real time audio from CBS news, and when Neil Armstrong said his historic words...

 

A cheer erupted that could have challenged a home run in Yankee Stadium during a late summer pennant race! Ah.. what a moment in American history! It was clear to me, as t must have been to every adult in the pool --- WE WON! We beat the Soviets to the moon! --- and for all of us Kennedy Democrats, it was sweet vindication, he had tasked America to do just that --- before the decade was over, and beat the deadline by nearly half a year!

 

But America had already become a mixed bag, and the triumph of Apollo 11 in space, was, on July 20, very much tempered by the experience of American troops on the ground in Viet Nam... (and no doubt some here had that, first and foremost on their minds)

 

So------ time for Candle members to weigh in! ------Do you remember where you were? ---Or if you were too young ---what are your impressions of this event?

 

Kim, I was in the final stages of OCS/flight school. Had a month or two left before leaving the country. We had no TV's and such and we're getting the hell beat out of us on the ground and in the air by TAC officers and flight instructors....a pretty grueling time filled with exams everyday as well as the flight instructors teacing us final tricks, maybe 3 power off autorotaions in the Hueys each day.

 

I can remember seeing a stolen glimpse of a paper by our mess hall when I had gone from attention to parade rest, then back to attention and marching forward another step or two, then back to attention/parade rest. Was supposed to be only looking straight ahead. It gave me a glimmer of satisfaction at the thought....was a long time after that before I ever saw the news reels of his words.

 

tsap seui

[tsap seui]

A Great American. After his NASA service he became a professor at the University of Cincinnati.The movie Harper Valley PTA used a number of scenes at his home in Lebanon, Ohio. He will be missed.

Armstrong was a great man of bravery and courage. I posted on Twisted Candle of this milestone. Not one person made a remark or compliment to to this great achievement on this thread or the one on Twisted. Please don't balme the politicans for our troubles in the USA. Blame your God Damned Selves! Apathy will lead to bondage.

 

Thomas, we had a pretty busy weekend here, not much time to post or even formulate a post this weekend. I saw your post the other day and brought his death up at our writers group Saturday night, got a few, yeah that's sad comments.

 

I don't vote and I try and keep myself well away from politicians. I don't suffer liars very well, and not at all if I can help it. After my service to this country I came home a very angry and dissilutioned young man...and never grew up, except I just laugh a lot more. I don't read newspapers, watch the news, or follow any politicians....and it's NOT out of apathy....more like raw nekked unbridled hate.

 

I woh't even bother to reply with my thoughts on your last sentence, I reckon you were pissed at something or other.

 

tsap seui

[Randy W]

Some comments from friends of mine on Facebook

Our house was on the corner of both entrances to El Lago and we used to charge for directions to his house. BUSLOADS of TOURISTS!

. . .

Beautiful public statement from the Armstrong family....ends with, "on a clear night, look up at the moon and wink..."

. . .

He came into the Apple store once in Cincinnati when I was working there. I didn't realize who he was til he handed me his credit card. I told him it was an honor to meet him; he looked down and said "Thanks." That was that. A shy, modest guy. I read somewhere that 10,000 years from now, his name will be the one name from the 20th century that people will remember.

[david_dawei]

Neil Armstrong stood by his claim that he was misquoted over the years... and that what he said was:

 

 

One small step for A man...

[DennisLeiqin]

Poor bugger, it looks like he should have left out the A.

[Randy W]

Neil Armstrong stood by his claim that he was misquoted over the years... and that what he said was:

 

 

One small step for A man...

 

That's what he meant to say. But i think even he admitted that it sounded like he left that part out.

 

Listen closely - you'll see there isn't time for the 'A'

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Frase_de_Neil_Armstrong.ogg

 

Armstrong had decided on this statement following a train of thought that he had had after launch and during the hours after landing. The broadcast did not have the "a" before "man", rendering the phrase a contradiction (as man in such use is synonymous with mankind). NASA and Armstrong insisted for years that static had obscured the "a", with Armstrong stating he would never make such a mistake, but after repeated listenings to recordings, Armstrong admitted he must have dropped the "a". Armstrong later said he "would hope that history would grant me leeway for dropping the syllable and understand that it was certainly intended, even if it was not said — although it might actually have been"

[Randy W]

Who's Mr. Gorsky?

 

IN CASE YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THIS LITTLE TIDBIT OF TRIVIA, ON JULY 20, 1969, AS COMMANDER OF THE APOLLO 11 LUNAR MODULE, NEIL ARMSTRONG WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO SET FOOT ON THE MOON.

 

HIS FIRST WORDS AFTER STEPPING ON THE MOON, "THAT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND," WERE TELEVISED TO EARTH AND HEARD BY MILLIONS.*

 

BUT JUST BEFORE HE RE-ENTERED THE LANDER, HE MADE THE ENIGMATIC REMARK - "GOOD LUCK, MR. GORSKY".

 

MANY PEOPLE AT NASA THOUGHT IT WAS A CASUAL REMARK CONCERNING SOME RIVAL SOVIET COSMONAUT. HOWEVER, UPON CHECKING, THERE WAS NO GORSKY IN EITHER THE RUSSIAN OR AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAMS.

 

OVER THE YEARS, MANY PEOPLE QUESTIONED ARMSTRONG AS TO WHAT THE - 'GOOD LUCK, MR. GORSKY' STATEMENT MEANT, BUT ARMSTRONG ALWAYS JUST SMILED.

 

ON JULY 5, 1995, IN TAMPA BAY , FLORIDA , WHILE ANSWERING QUESTIONS FOLLOWING A SPEECH, A REPORTER BROUGHT UP THE 26-YEAR-OLD QUESTION TO ARMSTRONG. THIS TIME HE FINALLY RESPONDED. MR. GORSKY HAD DIED, SO NEIL ARMSTRONG FELT HE COULD NOW ANSWER THE QUESTION.

 

IN 1938, WHEN HE WAS A KID IN A SMALL MID-WESTERN TOWN , HE WAS PLAYING BASEBALL WITH A FRIEND IN THE BACKYARD. HIS FRIEND HIT THE BALL, WHICH LANDED IN HIS NEIGHBOR'S YARD BY THEIR BEDROOM WINDOW. HIS NEIGHBORS WERE MR. AND MRS. GORSKY. AS HE LEANED DOWN TO PICK UP THE BALL, YOUNG ARMSTRONG HEARD MRS. GORSKY SHOUTING AT MR. GORSKY, "SEX! YOU WANT SEX?! YOU'LL GET SEX WHEN THE KID NEXT DOOR WALKS ON THE MOON !"

 

TRUE STORY. IT BROKE THE PLACE UP.

 

 

One Small Step

 

 

[During November 1995, a clever (and slightly risqué) story was widely circulated on the Internet concerning a statement Neil is supposed to have made during the Apollo 11 EVA. At the suggestion of several readers, let me state that Neil never said "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky" at any time during the mission. Indeed, on November 28, 1995, Neil wrote for the ALSJ, "I understand that the joke is a year old. I first heard it in California delivered by (comedian) Buddy Hackett".]

[david_dawei]

ok.. what I mean to say is... that is what he meant to say...

 

Of course what the media has taken hold of is more important than what he feels he meant to say.

[Randy W]

ok.. what I mean to say is... that is what he meant to say...

 

Of course what the media has taken hold of is more important than what he feels he meant to say.

 

This seems to pretty well be the bottom line

Armstrong later said he "would hope that history would grant me leeway for dropping the syllable and understand that it was certainly intended, even if it was not said — although it might actually have been"

 

It doesn't seem like anyone cares which way it went - just an interesting tidbit - if you're interested, or maybe not.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Randy W (see edit history)

[david_dawei]

"THAT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND,"

 

He may of personalized the experience too much in his head... as an "A" doesn't seem to really alter the final meaning... One vs ALL... in his head, he was the "One"

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

The braless and moustached, and hairy women's movement was in full swing in 1969. They were having nothing to do with some man thinking the word "man" would also include all humankind. Yeah, that includes women. He tried to avoid the controversy, but he said what everyone said back in those days when they wanted to refer to all people on earth.

[Argyle]

Neil Armstrong was a class act. He was confident in his abilities, and never felt the need to boast about his abilities or his accomplishments. We'll miss him.