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  July 20, 1969

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Author Topic:   July 20, 1969
Murph
Member

Posts: 108
From: New York, NY USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 07-20-2005 01:45 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Murph   Click Here to Email Murph     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
On July 20, 1969 I sat in a chair in my parents living room and watched a model of the LEM simulate the landing of Apollo 11, marked by the words "the Eagle has landed". That night I saw Neil and Buzz walk on the moon. I was 7 years old. Walter Conkrite was on the TV. Where were you?

Today is July 20, 2005.
Shouldn't July 20th at least be a day of National recognition, if not a holiday? What's your opinion?
Murph

ApolloAlex
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Posts: 390
From: Yeovil, England
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 07-20-2005 05:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ApolloAlex   Click Here to Email ApolloAlex     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Murph,
Answering your question, i was not even born myself,but the strangest thing is every time i sit down and watch the footage of that day 36 years ago,you would not believe this but all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end and i can still watch it over and over again and never get sick of it,including the other missions as well of course.
But my father who was around 7/8 at the time had to stay up till around 3 o clock in the morning to watch it and even then he said they looked like shadows and im even sure he said the first images were upside down.
Cheers,
Alex.

------------------
"Why dont you fix your little problem and light this Candle?"

[This message has been edited by ApolloAlex (edited July 20, 2005).]

micropooz
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Posts: 1532
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 07-20-2005 05:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for micropooz   Click Here to Email micropooz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I remember that between the rough TV pix from the moon, and the crummy reception on our black and white TV with an antenna, that my folks and I couldn't make out the shape of Neil until he got away from the lander and started walking around. So when Neil said "One small step..." we were all going "Can you see him?".

Yeah, July 20 should be a national day of recognition. Certainly a lot more important than some of the other national days of recognition that we currently have...

Davide
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Posts: 56
From: Venezia, Italy
Registered: Mar 2004

posted 07-20-2005 06:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Davide   Click Here to Email Davide     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"We came in peace for all Mankind".
July 20 should be a WORLD day of recognition.

Cheers,
Davide

mdaymont
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Posts: 39
From: Pleasant Grove, Utah,USA
Registered: May 2003

posted 07-20-2005 09:56 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mdaymont   Click Here to Email mdaymont     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Murph, my experience was very similar to your own as I was also 7 at the time. I do remember having several space toys with me, and had trouble understanding what the image was showing for a while. I don't remember the upside down image that others do... could that be a network-specific thing? The excitement of my parents, the commentators, etc. left an unforgetable memory.

Of course I'd been a space nut from my earliest memories, thanks to the great news coverage and constant repeats in the early days of TV, and all those great space shows for kids.

Today to commemorate I'll be visiting our Salt Lake City Clarke Planetarium. I hope everyone has a great commomorative day!

Mark in Utah

bruce
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Posts: 917
From: Fort Mill, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 07-20-2005 10:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for bruce   Click Here to Email bruce     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
July 20, 1969 - Visiting my aunt and uncle in Sepulveda, California. My uncle had worked for Martin-Marietta and Grumman throughout most of the 1960's on spacecraft engineering projects for NASA. My uncle and I sat on the couch, eating our just delivered "Chicken Delight" and sipping NeHi orange soda, watching the event on TV. Wally Schirra and Walter Cronkite became speechless at the moment when Neil Armstrong touched his foot onto the moon. And my uncle wept. TV commentary words couldn't have truly described the event; just seeing and hearing it live as it happened was far more personal. The moment was permanently etched into my 14 year old being. Interestingly, on July 20th of every year, my aunt and uncle are still alive, I can smell the chicken and I can taste orange soda. Not only do I get that "anything is possible" feeling again, somehow I feel a wee bit younger than I am now!

Happy Anniversary Earthlings!
Bruce

[This message has been edited by bruce (edited July 20, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by bruce (edited July 20, 2005).]

Glint
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Posts: 1044
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 07-20-2005 10:18 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glint   Click Here to Email Glint     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was 11 on this day in 1969 and had been a faithful follower of the Apollo program for several years by then and also the proud owner of numerous plasic models of various scales and vintages all of which have been resting peacefully in the junkyard for the past several decades.

I don't know how many times I reglued all of those little RCS nozzles. Busted SM high gain and LM EVA antennae were the hardest to repair!

Moonwalker1954
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Posts: 246
From: Montreal, Canada
Registered: Jul 2004

posted 07-20-2005 11:53 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Moonwalker1954   Click Here to Email Moonwalker1954     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Murph,

I was 14 and on that day my parents went to a friend's chalet but I said "no way, I'm not leaving the living room!". They came back about at the time that Buzz was stepping on the Moon and they watched the rest of the EVA with me. I still have chills when I think about it.

And I remember seeing the first images upside down!

Pierre-Yves

Wehaveliftoff
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Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 07-20-2005 12:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was delivering newspapers that day, one if by land, two if by foot.

tegwilym
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Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 07-20-2005 12:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My parents were on a skiing trip in Idaho, and I was with my grandparents.
I was 1 year and 8 months old. I DID watch it, but don't remember it since I was probably more interested in burping and drooling on grandma's carpet.

Rick Mulheirn
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Posts: 4208
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 07-20-2005 02:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rick Mulheirn   Click Here to Email Rick Mulheirn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was 11 years old and in America at the time of the landing. I was visiting relatives with my Dad in New Jersey. I took my position watching the imminent EVA on a cumfy bed in my room............. and promptly fell asleep before Armstrong had even exited the LM. DOH!

Regards,

Rick.

thepackratsattic
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posted 07-20-2005 09:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for thepackratsattic   Click Here to Email thepackratsattic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was 13....in Cincinnati huddled with my nephews in front of my brother's TV watching history happen. Somewhere in a scrapbook I have a Polaroid of the TV screen my dad snapped as Neil took the first step. We were headed for a vacation in Florida and a week later I was able to sit in front of the launch button during a tour of pad 39A.

If that wasn't enough to forever burn some memories into my young mind, six weeks later I was lucky enough to attend the homecoming in Wapakoneta and got meet Armstrong the first time when he spoke to all the kids at a private meeting at the high school football field. My mother had to literally force me to wash my right hand after shaking his!

July 20th always brings a smile to my face each year.

ejectr
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Posts: 1758
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 07-20-2005 09:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Aboard the U.S.S. Hornet waiting for them to come back down.

Blackarrow
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Posts: 3160
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 07-21-2005 03:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Blackarrow     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ejectr, you win! There are only three other human beings who could beat that!

HouseDadX4
unregistered
posted 07-21-2005 04:01 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was still in diapers and getting into everything...I wasn't quite 2 yet so i'm sure that I was a master at that burping and drooling thing..probably odorized the room as well...lol...But I have learned and know the story well and a I do mention it when I talk to kids about the space program and it's history..I consider it one of the greatest highlights...What a fantastic accomplishment...

[This message has been edited by HouseDadX4 (edited July 21, 2005).]

Glint
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Posts: 1044
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 07-21-2005 05:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glint   Click Here to Email Glint     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ejectr:
Aboard the U.S.S. Hornet waiting for them to come back down.

That's splendidly awesome, man. To be on the same ship with Dick Nixon!

[This message has been edited by Glint (edited July 21, 2005).]

ejectr
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Posts: 1758
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 07-21-2005 07:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It wasn't splendidly awesome to be in dress whites all the time because the boss was in town. Those rust buckets burned JP5 aviation fuel which is garbage fuel and the soot was everywhere.

Black soot on white cotton doesn't mix well.

Herkdriver
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Posts: 24
From: Santa Clarita, CA, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 07-21-2005 10:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Herkdriver   Click Here to Email Herkdriver     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
EJECTR,
Just curious...what was your job on the Hornet?

ejectr
Member

Posts: 1758
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 07-22-2005 11:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
UDT helicopter crewman......

BTW...this thread is about where everyone was......not about me.

[This message has been edited by ejectr (edited July 22, 2005).]

lunarrv15
Member

Posts: 1355
From: Cincinnati, Ohio, Hamilton
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 07-22-2005 11:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for lunarrv15   Click Here to Email lunarrv15     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
you ar celeb for 15 minutes among us as the closeness of being there.

were you part of the crew for retrieving Apollo 11 from splashdown?

ejectr
Member

Posts: 1758
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 07-22-2005 01:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yes and no.....

Was I in the group in the water around the CM......no. History would have it they were closer to the landing zone and got there first.

Was I in the air hovering in another craft and watching it all from above....yes.

Now......on with the rest of the discussion.
where were YOU when it all happened 7/20/69?

Rob Joyner
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Posts: 1308
From: GA, USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 07-22-2005 04:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rob Joyner   Click Here to Email Rob Joyner     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Murph,
I was 7 years old, too. I remember during the mission my mom explaining whether the TV footage I was watching was real or simulated. When it came time for Neil & Buzz to emerge from the Eagle I was sitting in this big red-orange recliner with my mom watching on a small B&W TV.
Can't remember where my dad or sister was, probably asleep. It was just me and my mom.
I remember making fun of my sister the next night when she came running in from outside announcing she had seen the astronauts walking on the Moon!
Rob

Glint
Member

Posts: 1044
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 07-22-2005 06:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glint   Click Here to Email Glint     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ejectr:
BTW...this thread is .... not about me.

But still, you were THERE! We are most respectfully humbled.

[This message has been edited by Glint (edited July 22, 2005).]

ejectr
Member

Posts: 1758
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 07-22-2005 07:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Well thank you.........I'll remember it vividly always.

All times are CT (US)

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