20 July 1969
There’s been a lot said about the Apollo 11 moon landing, the 40th anniversary of which was yesterday (US time). I’m not going to add anything to the extensive reminiscences already online, other than to acknowledge whoever it was at the Bundaberg Central State School who allowed this star-struck eight-year-old to go home and watch it on TV.
(My recollection is that I spent most of the afternoon in the lounge room wearing the NASA space suit that my grandmother had made me, picking up rocks with the BBQ tongs).
Of course, no discussion of the Apollo Mission’s awesome accomplishment is complete without reference to that famous (apocryphal?) quote from one of the early astronauts (variously attributed to John Glenn and Gus Grissom):
“There I was, strapped in my seat, ten seconds from launch, and it suddenly occurred to me that I was sitting on top of twenty thousand parts, every one made by the lowest bidder.”
Well done Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. You deserve the accolades.
Your Comments
Wendy writes:
I know this isn’t the point of your post but….Bundaberg Central State School?
It’s still there and going strong.
..but of course we all know that West, West, West is best. West is best in every test!
Sorry…you don’t have to publish this if you don’t want to :)
But really…what a great grandma to make you a space suit!
Posted: 24 07 2009 - 20:26 | Permanent link to this comment
John writes:
I was at Central for five years from the late 1960s (grades 3-7), but remember very little of it, and certainly not the war-cry!
Your allegiance to your old school is… disturbing ;-)
Posted: 27 07 2009 - 07:48 | Permanent link to this comment
Wendy writes:
and some might even say pathetic….!
what can i say…I’m nostalgic and have a rainman like memory for such details :)
Posted: 28 07 2009 - 13:22 | Permanent link to this comment