What defines the United States from all other countries? Perhaps our scientific achievements, particularly in space exploration. Certainly the achievements of the Apollo Program. And the sacrifices. Let us not forget, Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee and Ed White’s sacrifice. Their deaths in an Apollo capsule should never be forgotten and they helped the space program. If you don’t recall those champions names, look them up. The United States has sent men to the Moon and brought them back safely. The incredible Apollo Program. No other nation can make that claim. The United States has men who have walked on the Moon. What an incredible achievement. In 1969, while in the Army and in Vietnam, I watched as a man stepped off of the ladder of the lunar lander and the first human foot was planted on the lunar soil. I remember that I was an E-4 standing next to a full bird colonel who exclaimed, “young man, mark my words…the world will never be the same.” He was mighty right. And it wasn’t a military foot, it was Neil Armstrong, an American civilian astronaut. As an aside, the United States space program wanted a civilian to be the first human to set foot on the Moon. A fine and righteous decision. Now, there are those would say, “So What?” They dismiss the achievement of walking on the Moon. But could Russia have done that? China? No. Only the United States was willing to train pilots to fly to the Moon, walk upon its surface, and return to Earth. No one else was willing to do that. There are those who would say, “so what?” “Why bother?” But in the United States, we are explorers. We love a challenge. We constantly push our limits, our barriers. We dismiss failure and embrace the unknown and overcome it. We developed a space program and sent men to the Moon and brought them back. No other nation has done that. Not Russia, not China, no other nation. Spaceflight: Remembering the Apollo program. Cheers, Jason Bourne
To this day I can remember exactly where I was and what I was feeling when the Apollo astronauts first set foot on the Moon. Maybe not for everyone, but for me I was mesmerized by the entire mission, from learning who the astronauts will be, to the design and building of the rocket and module, to the FACTUAL news reporting on TV, to the landing module's descent to the Moon with Moon dust blowing away from the thrusters, the first step on the Moon, leaving the Moon, and making it back to Earth...wow! Later when there was more publicity of the Apollo program from start to finish, and I could learn more about the program, considering our technology at the time, IMO 90% of the reason we achieved success was through pure grit and willpower...Americans who shared the excitement...and a president who actually had a vision. Not to take anything away from the entire Apollo program, but for that moment when the Apollo 11 crew landed on the Moon, except for the obligatory few Americans who only care about themselves, 99% of the nation was not only riveted by the event but also proud of our accomplishments! Good luck today finding another consensus moment like that one...
Come on, we know all of that was a Hollywood filmed hoax. The earth is flat and the government doesn't even make good science fiction. (joke, see conspiracy theory board)
