# Neil Armstrong -first man on moon has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 25, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631 "2012-08-25T19:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/121 "2012-08-27T03:30:33Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Shh! You want to get a visit from Buzz Aldrin? Say “what”, one more time to Buzz. Just say it. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/122 "2012-08-27T04:09:59Z")
Yep, you really don’t wan’t Buzz Aldrin on you case!😛 [Astronaut BUZZ ALDRIN PUNCHES MAN IN FACE When Questioned 4 5 - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7KgdehBBsw) The moon-hoaxer Bart Sibrell got his come uppance here. There are segments showing him harrassing Aldrin, telling him he should swear on the Bible he walked on the moon. But the best part starts at 4:20. when Aldrin has finally had enough, and punches the guy in the face, after Sibrel calls him a “liar and coward” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/123 "2012-08-27T06:09:07Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Yep, you really don’t wan’t Buzz Aldrin on you case!😛 > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7KgdehBBsw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7KgdehBBsw) The moon-hoaxer Bart Sibrell got his come uppance here. There are segments showing him harrassing Aldrin, telling him he should swear on the Bible he walked on the moon. But the best part starts at 4:20. when Aldrin has finally had enough, and punches the guy in the face, after Sibrel calls him a “liar and coward” Once again, the good stuff happens at 4:20. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/124 "2012-08-27T09:06:14Z")
I heard this sad news via a friend’s Facebook post. By coincidence I’d just started re-reading _Moondust_ by Andrew Smith the other day, a book that tacks down the surviving Moon walkers. My wife was asking me if it’s a good book, I said it was and that it’s a sad thought that soon there will be none of them left - and then I looked at my phone and saw there was already one less. ☹ I wasn’t born until after the Apollo era, in 1977. Growing up, the moon landings seemed like ancient history to me, but Apollo 11 was less than eight years before I was born. Eight years is nothing - going back the same length of time from today only takes you to late 2004. That seems like yesterday. It really wasn’t as remote from my lifetime as I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/125 "2012-08-27T10:05:31Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > My grandmother was born December 17, 1904, one year to the day after the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk. > > On July 20, 1969, I was with her and my grandfather when we watched to moon landing. In one lifetime we went from horse and buggy to people on the moon. Now the first man there is gone, but my grandmother is still left to know about it. I don’t know if she’s aware of it yet, she hasn’t watched much news lately, but I am sure she would be saddened. > > All this in one lifetime. Your grandmother is 107 years old? God speed Neil, like many others, you were a childhood hero of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/126 "2012-08-27T10:17:24Z")
I always wondered why he never talked about being on the moon. My mom always said that that was the type of guy he was and that’s why he was chosen to be the first. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/127 "2012-08-27T10:44:49Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I always wondered why he never talked about being on the moon. My mom always said that that was the type of guy he was and that’s why he was chosen to be the first. That and, after the ten thousandth time you’re asked “What was it like walking on the moon?” you’re going to get pretty sick of it. The book I mentioned above, _Moondust_, paints a pretty good picture of what it was like to be Neil Armstrong. Eyeing everyone who approaches you wondering whether they’re going to accuse you of being a fraud, shove a camera in your face, whip out something to sign (one woman when advised that Neil didin’t sign autographs, said: “Sure he will. If you shove something up close enough in his face, he’ll sign!” :rolleyes: ) or simply spout off at length about where they were in July 1969. You had to feel sorry for him really. I wish I had experienced that era first-hand. In the 1960s, we had real heroes proving that it could be done. Now, we have YouTube conspiracy freaks trying to prove that it couldn’t be done. That’s progress for you. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/128 "2012-08-27T11:26:33Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I always wondered why he never talked about being on the moon. My mom always said that that was the type of guy he was and that’s why he was chosen to be the first. According to Neil, the culmination of him landing on the moon was an effort put forth by many thousands of hard working people. He didn’t want to detract from that. He felt that all the people involved desrved a pat on the back. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Sniveling\_Mess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@A\_Sniveling\_Mess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Sniveling_Mess)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/129 "2012-08-27T12:07:26Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I heard this sad news via a friend’s Facebook post. By coincidence I’d just started re-reading _Moondust_ by Andrew Smith the other day, a book that tacks down the surviving Moon walkers. My wife was asking me if it’s a good book, I said it was and that it’s a sad thought that soon there will be none of them left - and then I looked at my phone and saw there was already one less. ☹ I’ve got to say that that’s a really amazing story.Thanks for sharing it. By the way,I actually read _Moondust_ myself about a year ago,and I agree with you-it’s a great book.In fact,it’s probably one of the best books about the moon landings out there,as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/130 "2012-08-27T15:46:52Z")
Here’s a nice [CNN.com](http://CNN.com) photoessay. My favorite pic is the last one: [http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/26/opinion/seymour-armstrong-appreciation/index.html?hpt=hp\_c3](http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/26/opinion/seymour-armstrong-appreciation/index.html?hpt=hp_c3) Anyone else read James R. Hansen’s _First Man_, the authorized Armstrong bio? ---
**Author:** ![A\_Sniveling\_Mess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@A\_Sniveling\_Mess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Sniveling_Mess)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/131 "2012-08-27T17:07:29Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Anyone else read James R. Hansen’s _First Man_, the authorized Armstrong bio? Yeah,I actually did read it quite a long time ago.It’s not the most entertaining book I’ve ever read by any means,but there are some good parts.It includes more personal details than you’d expect from an authorized biography-especially since Armstrong was such a private person-but at the same time it often gets too technical for a simpleton like me.😃 All-in-all,though,I recommend it,both because of all the raw information(it’s almost 800 pages long),and because the fact that it’s authorized makes a big difference.However,if you’re just looking for a brief overview of his life,this book is definitely not for you. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/132 "2012-08-27T20:11:47Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Your grandmother is 107 years old? Yep! She’s voted in 21 straight Presidential elections. It would be 22 but back then you couldn’t vote until you were twenty-one. Sad to say, I don’t think she will be voting this year, although she is still registered. Grandma has started to slip, and doesn’t really watch the news anymore. She wouldn’t dream of voting without trying to learn something about the candidates. I think last time her vote and mine canceled each other out, as Grandma had a McCain/Palin sticker in her room at the nursing home. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/133 "2012-08-27T20:20:14Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Sad to say, I don’t think she will be voting this year No picture ID, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/134 "2012-08-27T21:18:14Z")
I was 9 that summer. Aside form watching the Apollo 11 mission with my parents, my most vivid memory is getting several of those paper models of the Lunar Module from the local Gulf station and assembling them. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/135 "2012-08-28T00:58:41Z")
> [@A\_Sniveling\_Mess](#): > > Yeah,I actually did read it quite a long time ago.It’s not the most entertaining book I’ve ever read by any means,but there are some good parts.It includes more personal details than you’d expect from an authorized biography-especially since Armstrong was such a private person-but at the same time it often gets too technical for a simpleton like me.😃 > All-in-all,though,I recommend it,both because of all the raw information(it’s almost 800 pages long),and because the fact that it’s authorized makes a big difference.However,if you’re just looking for a brief overview of his life,this book is definitely not for you. OK, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![A\_Sniveling\_Mess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@A\_Sniveling\_Mess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Sniveling_Mess)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/136 "2012-08-28T01:22:12Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > OK, thanks! You’re welcome.🙂 By the way,what did you think of the book? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/137 "2012-08-28T16:02:39Z")
I bought it at our library’s fundraising booksale a few weeks ago, as it happens, but haven’t read it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/138 "2012-09-07T04:05:59Z")
Armstrong is to be [buried at sea](http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/311308/first-man-on-moon-to-be-buried-at-sea-armstrong-family). ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/139 "2012-09-13T23:07:03Z")
For those who missed it on the news, the National Cathedral where his memorial took place has a stained glass window called [The Space Window](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.naturalworldhealing.com/images/cathedral_space_window.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.naturalworldhealing.com/Photos_Space.htm&h=508&w=910&sz=112&tbnid=ZnEqXdvGRcjTIM:&tbnh=67&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__qiq9_k6HKZoWPWVU9iv8v0zOtRM=&docid=8LvmxxCDPCI73M&sa=X&ei=01JSUJOJFajaywGv2ICYAg&ved=0CDIQ9QEwBA&dur=24). In it is a piece of lunar rock. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631/140 "2012-09-14T03:09:56Z")
> [@A\_Sniveling\_Mess](#): > > You’re welcome.🙂 > By the way,what did you think of the book? A photographer who was taking a group picture of the university faculty asked, “Mr. Armstrong, would you please take one small step forward?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-first-man-on-moon-has-died/632631.md?page=8)