Apollo 11 turns 50 years old today

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 98.8%
    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
    8,504
    113
    Remington
    50 years go today, I was a little 6 year old boy in a motel room in Bangor, Maine with my family. We were on our way to Newfoundland, Canada to see my Nanny (grandma) for the first time. My folks had immigrated to the United States a little over a year before I was born. I sat there, at the foot of the bed, watching the black, and white TV, and saw live, right in front of me, two of three brave American Apollo 11 astronauts become the first humans in history to land on the moon.

    American greatness is one of my earliest childhood memories.


    Where were you when history was made?


    [video=youtube;Zd2D3MKX3YE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd2D3MKX3YE&fbclid=IwAR2SqK8d4NmaT_Q2qlVrG-tgJkIyaXMdHansoqvS8wqVOIYnBSDWu6d5ic0[/video]
     

    Alamo

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Oct 4, 2010
    8,085
    113
    Texas
    I was nine years old, sitting on the couch with my parents watching on a black and white TV. Dad was a government quality assurance inspector for the titanium fuel tanks* in the Command Module and the Lunar Module, probably holding his breath that they performed perfectly. (He was quite upset when the Apollo 13 explosion happened, didn't know for awhile whether it was fault in the fuel tanks or something else. Turned out to be something else). I had models of everything, and I still have some space posters from that era.

    It was a magnificent feat.

    *Manufactured in Indianapolis.
     
    Last edited:

    snorko

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    361   0   0
    Apr 3, 2008
    8,292
    113
    Evansville, IN
    I was almost 2yo so too young to remember Apollo 11but I do have vague memories of watching later landings. Like many families, mine bought a new tv for the event.
     

    KellyinAvon

    Blue-ID Mafia Consigliere
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 22, 2012
    24,791
    150
    Avon
    I was almost 2yo so too young to remember Apollo 11but I do have vague memories of watching later landings. Like many families, mine bought a new tv for the event.

    I was 4 and don't remember it either (the later Apollo missions I have some recollection, mostly the splashdowns.) Come to think of it, that's about the time we got a new TV too.
     

    Expat

    Pdub
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Feb 27, 2010
    108,735
    113
    Michiana
    I was 8 and excitedly watched it on TV.
    I feel bad for the younger people. There was such a sense of excitement, pride in our country, that we all felt at the time.
    I had a globe of the moon in my bedroom. I got to see Neil Armstrong in person once. He was friends from Purdue of the man that lived across the street from us.
     

    Mr Evilwrench

    Quantum Mechanic
    Emeritus
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 18, 2011
    11,560
    63
    Carmel
    I was nearly 5. My dad and I sat in the family room watching the Eagle land. My mom was hanging around, looking through from the kitchen. A glorious time.
     

    BluePig

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    May 10, 2012
    1,546
    113
    Middlebury
    I was 4 and i got to see it on the lap of my grandfather. We watched and then he took me outside and we tried to see where they were.
    Something I don't think I will ever forget.
     

    injb

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Jul 17, 2014
    389
    28
    Indiana
    I remember it like it was 12 years into the future, because I was -12! Seriously though, I can't recommend How Apollo Flew To The Moon by David Wood highly enough for anyone who wants to learn about the challenges they faced and how those challengers were overcome.
     

    lovemywoods

    Geek in Paradise!
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    50   0   0
    Mar 26, 2008
    3,026
    0
    Brown County
    I was 12 and a full-blown nerd. I loved the space program. I stayed up late watching a black and white TV waiting for Neil Armstrong to climb down the ladder. What a moment.

    I also remember how Walter Cronkite was gifted with the ability to fill time in interesting ways to deal with the inevitable delays to the schedule.


    p.s. Happy Birthday indyjohn!
     
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,746
    113
    Danville
    I had no job, people waiting on me hand an foot, and was crapping my drawers whenever I felt the urge. Others would happily clean up the mess with no fuss at all. I had not a care in the world nor a clue of anything outside my direct line of sight and was happy as could be.
     

    Jludo

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Feb 14, 2013
    4,163
    48
    Indianapolis
    Watching the CBS stream on YouTube. I missed the first one by 20 years or so. Gives me goosebumps though watching them land again er listening to it anyway.
     

    Jludo

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Feb 14, 2013
    4,163
    48
    Indianapolis
    I didn't know there was a Russian spacecraft trying to land on the moon at the same time, trying to bring lunar rocks back before the USA ha crazy hearing how important beating the Russians was, Cronkite talking about how Russia hasn't congratulated us and didn't carry the landing stream live though it was made easily available to them.
     

    littletommy

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 29, 2009
    13,015
    113
    A holler in Kentucky
    I was 3, and I can’t really say for sure if I remember the first one or not, I do recall watching some of the later ones. My dad was crazy into that kind of thing, so I’m sure we watched, and I’m sure I was in the room. One of my dads friends was a nut, always pranking people and making everybody laugh. I clearly remember one of the later moon missions being on tv and dads buddy telling us kids “let’s go outside and yell hello to the guys on the moon and wave at em”, and we did! I remember asking him if they could hear us and he said “sure they can, they’re right there” as he pointed to the moon. We thought that was the coolest thing ever.
     
    Top Bottom