WHERE WERE YOU
Houston Chronicle readers share their stories and photos of that historical moment that expanded the limits of space exploration for human kind. when astronauts made the first landing on the moon?
Lou Peacock Living in Texas, traveling in the Yucatan, Mexico
“We went to the Hotel Merida for a drink and noticed there was no TV in the bar. I asked about availability at the front desk, explaining about the moon landing. The woman at the desk went home, retrieved her own small blackand-white TV with rabbit ears, and brought it to the bar. Seeing an opportunity, she also posted a sign in the lobby: “Moon landing and drink specials in the bar.”
Charlie Ray On the USS Kitty Hawk
On 1969, (21), my our the 21st ship day birthday, I was became in the July a middle man 16, of the Tonkin Gulf off the coast of Vietnam. My best friend, Ron Shugart, and I were watching the launch on ship TV, praying for success, yet wondering that if in 20, 30, 40, 50 years (it would) be as exciting and more meaningful, and if anyone would remember the significance. We’re still friends and the world remembers. Unbelievable.
John G. Thomas In Florida
A Cape Kennedy Volkswagen dealer had rented a beach several miles from the launch pad and invited anyone with a VW van to camp at the “Volkswagen Moon Caravan” for free. Everyone was drinking and partying the night before, but you could hear a pin drop as the countdown began. Even that far away, the ground began to vibrate and the miles of water between us and the rocket started to ripple, like an earthquake.
Don Hubbard In Freeport, TX
My grandfather, Cecil McConnell, was in his middle 80s in 1969. He vividly recalled newspaper accounts of the Wright brothers flight in 1903 and was very interested in aviation advances. For the moon landing he bought a new color television set and watched the entire coverage from the launch to completion, 24 hours/day, sleeping and eating in his favorite recliner chair.
Walter L. Ellis In League City, TX
I was on duty at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory as a member of the bio-safety team. We were “mission ready” and I joined others in the Quarantine Control Room to watch the landing on a TV. I came away with a deep appreciation for team work focused on a worthy mission as well as a sense of the awesome reality that we are blessed to live on this blue planet.
Leon Macha In Houston, TX
The night of the moon landing, we were in a rented pop-up camper to spend some quiet time in a park on Lake Sam Rayburn. I was due to report to Lackland AFB in August for OTS and we had married in April. We took our 18-inch black-and-white TV with rabbit-ears antenna. The signal was weak and snowy, but we were able to watch the event while other campers peered through our windows.
Ferrell Moore In Houston, TX
I was there, in Building 1 at Manned Spacecraft Center, when those exciting events took place. As press contact for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, I coordinated with visiting news professionals to see they received requested communications services. I was given a medallion made from pieces of metal taken from the command module and the lunar lander. I obtained from NASA this famous photo to grace the cover of the next Houston White Pages directory. (Editor’s note: Moore was a copy editor at the Houston Chronicle from 1958 to 1961.)
Betty Martin In Sicily, Italy
We were living at the U.S. Naval Air Facility at Sigonella, Sicily. There were no English language TV channels, so our television set was packed away. Our news came from a day-old Stars and Stripes newspaper. On this day my husband dug out our little 12inch black-and-white television and plugged it in. We watched on Italian television with the volume turned down and listened on Armed Forces Radio.
Janet Blackburn In Oklahoma
On July 20, 1969, I sat with my family and watched the lunar landing on our small black-andwhite TV. I was 11 years old. We were nervous, excited and proud to be Americans that day. We couldn’t believe it would happen. Another space-crazed boy was watching with his family in a nearby home. Eleven years later, I came to Houston with that boy so that he could work on the new shuttle program.
Victor “V.J.” Colonnetta Aboard ship in the Pacific Ocean
I was stationed aboard the USS Arlington guarding President Nixon’s luggage. I saw the capsule come out of the sky. I am very proud to be a part of Apollo 11.
Geraldine Johnson In Russells Point, Ohio
My husband and I, along with our two boys, decided to make the short drive to Wapakoneta Ohio, Niel’s hometown. The windows downtown were decorated with Niel’s photo and the American flag. At Niel’s parents’ home there were TV cameras. My youngest son and I were standing in the yard when Niel’s parents were interviewed. We were in the camera shot, I was told by my relatives living in Houston. I’ve never seen that footage.
Tommie McMillan In Dallas, TX
It historic was trip our exploring sites family’s before obscure last I left epic for Texas camping college. My dad was determined we know every historic fact. On that day he was speeding down the highway to find a motel; only time in his life he ever sped. We watched the moon landing on a small black-and-white TV in our room at the Motel 6 in Alpine.
Cyndi Draughon In League City, TX
I was 12 years old. My mother worked in Public Affairs at Johnson Space Center. She had us go outside and look up at the moon, even though we couldn’t see the astronauts. Just 6½ years later I was also working at Johnson Space Center. Those were the days ...
Charles Biggs In Pasadena, TX
When moon, Apollo I was in 11 the landed Mission on the Control Center at NASA JSC at the PAO console. My job was to release the audio and video from the moon to the US public as it was happening. It was a great moment for me to see my friends step foot on the moon — the first time humans had done this marvelous feat. And from then on it was history!
R. D. Barber Aboard the USS Hornet
I was an IC2 on the USS Lake Champlain to pick up Alan Shepard May 5, 1961. Then as a warrant officer I was the electrical material officer on the USS Hornet when it was the prime recovery ship for Apollo 11 and Apollo 12. My division provided three separate sources of power to the Mobile Quarantine Facilities and power to all other embarked units. Those were very exciting years.
William Dinwiddie In Grand Forks, North Dakota
First was lieutenant at Minuteman William Missile Dinwiddie Launch Control Center at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. When the Eagle landed, he was watching upstairs on a black-and-white TV. Later unfortunately, as Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon, he was 70 feet underground with no TV or broadcast radio available.
Nan Buchanan In Corpus Christi, TX
The fuzzy television picture had the full attention of my three kids and their granddad as we watched the Apollo moon landing. We’re excited to relive this 50th anniversary of such a memorable event!
Larry Miller In Oklahoma
I was working a summer student job for Oklahoma State University. We were visiting a store near Cedar Lake in Eastern Oklahoma. I, along with many others, were watching a small black-and-white television as Neil Armstong took his first step onto the moon and uttered those famous words “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” I’ll never forget the feeling as I realized the history that I was witnessing.
Mary Dunseith Henry In Nassau Bay, TX
I was a secretary in the Apollo Program Office by day and secretarial support by night in the SPAN Room MCC during missions. I was in the control center when Neil Armstrong set his foot on the moon — how exciting! I was also in the Lunar Landing hosted by Mayor L. Welch. (The Chronicle) has an article in the archives of President Nixon being put on hold by secretary Mary Yarbrough (that was me)! Photo courtesy of Al Jackson
Al Jackson In Houston, TX
I was the Abort Guidance Instructor on the Lunar Module Simulator at the Manned Space Craft Center in Houston. That day in July 1969 I came to Building 4 and watched on TV in Warren North’s office so I could listen to the flight directors’ loop.
Leo Langston In Memphis, TN
I was 16 and at home with my parents and a good friend of mine who I invited over to watch the landing. We were both pitchers on the same baseball team, so we practiced some pitching in my front yard and then went inside to watch the moon landing. It was a very exciting afternoon for some high school kids.
Carolyn Jarrett In Tomah, Wisconsin
I was 14 when man first walked on the moon. My family had visited Cape Canaveral earlier that summer and saw the vehicle on the launch pad. I watched the actual event live on television at a neighbor’s home. The video was fuzzy, but it inspired me to one day work for NASA here at Johnson Space Center. I recently retired after 34 years. Maybe one day I’ll watch humans walk on Mars!
Lawrence Kuznetz On the console at Mission Control
Editor’s Dr. veteran advanced University Lawrence of note: degrees the space H. and Kuznetz from University program Columbia is a with of California, controller during Berkeley. Apollo, He was helped a flight build the space shuttles and was Life Science Experiment Manager for the International Space Station. He has taught at UC Berkeley , holds eight U.S. patents and is the author of several books. He is also de project leader for the team designing the spacesuits that could be used on the human exploration of Mars.
Harold Miller In Dickinson, TX
I (Building was in the 30) Control Simulation Center Control Room, just off the MOCR watching the flight control team operation. With me were members of the simulation staff. We were very proud of the job the flight controllers did during the Apollo 11 flight.
Norman Chaffee In Pasadena, TX
rockets I rocket design/build/test was a scientist NASA on the three engineer — the and Apollo steering helped — a shift modules. in the I had engineering just finished control my room at NASA and was at home with a squirming 7-year-old and a 5-year-old on my lap, urging them to watch carefully and remember as this event was a “first” in history, and their daddy had helped to make it possible.
Gary W. Johnson In League City, TX
I supporting Mission was a NASA Evaluation the electrical mission Room. in engineer the I was responsible and Command for the Module/Service Lunar Module Module sequencing system and CSM power distribution system. The NASA photo was taken of us in the MER during the Apollo 11 mission, and I am the one in the dark shirt near the end of the table. Data was displayed on the TV.
Dianne Murphy Kanipe In Tulsa, OK
In July 1969, I camped out on my parents’ sofa watching the Apollo 11 moon mission on TV after completing my freshman year at the University of Kansas. I was in the midst of working toward my dream since following Alan Shepard’s first space flight to work for NASA. Two years after receiving my BS in aerospace engineering, I finally started working at NASA in Houston for the next 36 years.
Ronald Bartosh In Bethpage, Long Island, NY
Starting assigned Spacecraft June to Program the 14, ASPO 1962, Office) I (Apollo was in Houston. Our 200-person office was responsible for the design, development, and testing of the Apollo spacecraft. During Apollo 11, I was assigned to the ASPO Resident Office in New York. Our work being done, I was on vacation in Taft, Texas, helping my father gather his crop.
My ASPO experience still drives me to do the best I can.
Russell M. Webb In Nederland, TX
I had graduated from Allen Military Academy and was working at Church’s Fried Chicken in Port Arthur. I had to work to save money for a car for my first year of college. I brought a camera to work to be photographed, because I wanted to freeze the moment. The live feed was going on when I got home.
Stokes McMillan In Kosciusko, Mississippi
Bound graduate high for of school, college a small-town I as was a recent unsure Mississippi whether to major in music education or engineering. But then, during college freshman orientation, I sat spellbound watching the first steps on the Moon on a dilapidated dormitory television. That was it — space is the place! Thankfully, things worked out. I obtained a degree in aerospace engineering and ended up working for NASA in Houston for 32 years.
Glenn Ecord In Clear Lake area, TX
I was a new NASA engineer performing a minor function in a mission evaluation room located across the hall from Mission Control. However, this task allowed me an up-front view of the entire moon landing event! It is a cherished memory. After that I went on to a wonderful 40-year engineering career at Johnson Space Center.
Sal Gambino In Houston, TX
As escorted parade a Houston August Neil Armstrong Police 16, 1969. Officer, My in children the I asked if I got his autograph, and my reply was “no.” The 25th anniversary newspaper showed a photo of him with me escorting. I wrote him a letter, mailed it to him he autographed it and returned it and that made the children happy. After 50 years this remains my most treasured prize I had received during my career.
Newton Ted Buras In Houston, TX
I took my wife and sons to see the Apollo 11 launch at the Kennedy Space Center. I was a NASA employee working on Apollo 11 and future Apollo flights. I was very proud of my country, the United States of America. I was very proud of the work I was doing. I joined the NASA speakers bureau and spoke to many civic groups on the benefits of space.
Samuel Maldonado In El Paso, TX
In July 1969, I asked a sales clerk out for a date, not realizing it was the date the lunar landing was scheduled. Didn’t get to see the first steps on the moon because of being out on a date. I’m not upset with not seeing the first steps on the moon, as first date was the start of a long relationship with my wife. We’ve known each other 50 years and married for 49.
Pamela Heineman In Schenectady, NY
My sister and I were 8 and 10. My parents didn’t realize how interested my sister and I were in watching the lunar landing and told us to go to bed in the next room. We watched the lunar landing through a very small crack in the wood wall looking across to the black-and-white TV set where my parents and aunt and uncle were avidly watching.
Kathi Orgeron In Groves, TX
I took We was were his terrified first out step of when school on Armstrong the for moon. the summer, our parents both worked, and we had a teenage babysitter who would come to our house. She told us her grandfather said that it was in the Bible that as soon as man stepped foot on the moon, the Earth would turn to dust. I was sure we would be annihilated.
Anne C. Gibbons In Clear Lake City, TX
My officer Argentinian father for for reporters. NASA. was reporter public He Last arranged wanted affairs minute, to access an watch American the landing family. We with became a typical that family. Cousins, aunt, brother, mother and I were interviewed. The reporter was mad because we had a black-and-white TV, but everyone saw it in black and white!
Joy Godbold In Chicago, IL
It was our 25th wedding anniversary. My husband, Jim Godbold, was photographic coordinator at the Cape and he wanted me to see the “liftoff to the moon” in person. The roar of the rocket was the loudest noise I had ever heard! I was overwhelmed that tears began to form in my eyes. After Neil Armstrong returned, my husband said to him, “Thanks Neil, for making this anniversary the best ever!” Neil replied, “Glad to oblige.”
Robert Forker In Baltimore, MD
I was living a student’s life in Baltimore, searching for my muse and making 8mm experimental films. On one apartment wall, I painted a long, sweeping, circular arc, a vast lunar horizon. Above it was an image of planet earth. On July 20, 1969, with tripod and movie camera, I captured images from a flickering television, securing history on 8mm film. I was crazy about Apollo, Greek gods challenging humanity to do our best.
Dr. John Painter In Virginia
When men landed on the moon in 1969, I was at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia, working on an engineering PhD, courtesy of NASA. My life had been earlier impacted when I had been employed at NASA-Houston, and trained two astronaut classes in Apollo radio technology. Many of us engineers were then so young that we didn’t admit the unlikelihood of our success. So, we just pressed on and did it.
Preston F. Kirk In Houston, TX
As HS a Bureau United reporter Press International in the Chronicle building, I was reassigned to our LX (Lunar Explorer) Bureau. On every shot from Apollo 8 through 14, I covered the families. I was in Mike Collins’ front yard, racing between view of the family through a picture window and back to a truck with a black-andwhite TV, holding my breath like about a billion people worldwide following it on radio and TV.
Ed Masten In La Marque, TX
My stamp several on the dad, moon, collector. sheets J. Lewis which of He man’s Masten, purchased coincidentally first was step a wedding coincided anniversary. with my Swearing parents’ me to secrecy, he showed me the stamps and said “Every year on our anniversary I’m going to send your mother, Marietta Masten, a card and mail it with one of these stamps. One of many fond and fun memories of my parents. Isn’t that romantic?