National

Neil Armstrong, First Man to Walk on the Moon, Dies


Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—August 25, 2012.  Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died. He was 82 years old.  His family issued the following statement:

“We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. He also found success back home in his native Ohio in business and academia, and became a community leader in Cincinnati. He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits. As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world and from all walks of life. While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves. For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”

Armstrong underwent heart surgery this month.

Neil Armstrong made two space flights.  In 1966 he was the commander of the Gemini 8 mission.  This flight nearly ended in disaster when a thruster rocket malfunctioned and caused the rocket to spin out of control.  Armstrong managed to bring the spacecraft home safely.

In July 1969, Armstrong and fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins traveled nearly 250,000 miles in Apollo 11 to the moon. It took the astronauts four days to reach their destination.

The world anxiously watched as the lunar module Eagle separated from the command module and began its descent to the moon.  Cheers rang out from NASA’s mission control room when they heard Armstrong say, “Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed.”

At 10:56 p.m. ET on July 20, 1969, Armstrong, at age 38, became the first person to set foot on the moon.  He uttered the now-famous phrase: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”


ARCHIVES