# Where were you 36 years ago today?



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

I realize that Chris and Eric were barely a twinkle in their Father's eye but it was an amazing day (evening).

I was at home watching TV with most of the rest of the world.

Why?

Because that is the day (36 years ago) when Apollo 11 astronauts--Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin--touched down on the Moon!

How quickly we forget and I have not seen it mentioned in the news today.

I was 15 and had a Bell & Howell 8mm camera that I actually took pictures of the TV screen. I was and remain an absolute space junkie!

I know, I know, many here at NoDak weren't even around back then but I bet a bunch of us were.

I was proud to be an American that day!

A fitting day for Scotty (James Doohan from Star Trek passed away today) to beam up!


----------



## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

I remember I was a month shy of being 4 years old and looking up at the moon telling my parents I was pretty sure I could see our guys walking up there.


----------



## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

I was still swimming if you know what I mean!!


----------



## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

10 years old...watching the apollo landing in between games of ditch in the neighborhood.

Gosh, Zettler, no wonder we had to retrieve all your ducks for you and set-up all the decoys.

:beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:


----------



## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

I was 9 years old at Pawleys Island watching it on the TV.

Now that I am older, I do not believe it was real - I think it was a conspiracy by the US Government to 1 up the Russians. I have read a fair amount on this and just do not believe that we actually did it. :eyeroll:


----------



## hunterboy (Dec 5, 2004)

I was probably eating some of my birthday cake. It was my fourth birthday and I do seem to remember watching it on tv.


----------



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

hunterboy said:


> I was probably eating some of my birthday cake. It was my fourth birthday and I do seem to remember watching it on tv.


Happy fourtieth birthday! :beer:


----------



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

Field Hunter said:


> Gosh, Zettler, no wonder we had to retrieve all your ducks for you and set-up all the decoys.
> 
> :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:


I believe that was Chunk who retrieved "most" of those beautiful green (and brown) headed ducks! :wink: :beer:


----------



## 1lessdog (Feb 4, 2004)

I was in the Oakes swimming pool.And they closed it so the lifeguards could watch it.I went home and watched it on a black and white tv.


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I was in the hayfield pitching hay and setting stacks. Ironic to me, I was at the extreme other end of progress itself using an iron tool with a wooden handle to provide food and security for my family. I remember it well it was a very exciting day, talking of Martians and space people and if they would disappear into a cloud of dust on the moon and on and on....


----------



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

I am glad a lot of us had a trip down a "good" memory lane from this post!

But I thought I would add to my original mention of using a Super 8mm movie camera to make a movie of the TV screen during the moonwalk.

What made this even more memorable was that this was the type of camera where it had a double-sided 25' reel that you had to turn over and reverse after the first 25' went through so you could shoot the remaining 25' for a total of 50' of 8mm film. No Beta. No VHS. No Super VHS. No Hi8mm. Just plain old KODAK (that was ALL they sold back then locally) in an old wind-up Bell & Howell camera.

However, sometime either before or after I shot the footage, someone forgot and turned the roll over again, and then again, making it double exposed. When we went to watch it after it was developed (you had to mail it off for that back then) all we saw was the movie we took of the Ringling, Barnum and Bailey Circus who came to town and was at the Assembly Hall at the U of I - itself, a fairly new saucer-shaped building.

Then, much to our surprise and delight, right in the middle of the three-ring circus show, an Astronaut comes bounding through the show!!! It remains a classic as the movie we shot of the circus is in color and the ghostly images of the astronauts are in grainy Black & White!!!

I still have it somewhere - I hope!!

Either that, or Scotty is watching it right now...


----------



## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

I was a liscensed national park boatman living in Jackson Hole Wyo. When they landed I was floating a 28' Salmon river raft on the Snake river. I was running whitewater and It was my first trip without a senior boatman. I was very happy that both the astronauts and my boat had a safe landing. Those were the days.


----------



## BobHAJ (Sep 12, 2004)

I was fresh out of High School and working for the Forest Service. Pickles McGregor, Bill Rummel and I were out in the Bitterrot National Forest on a Trail crew living in the forest all week. The good ole days.
BobHAJ


----------



## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

> 10 years old


 :lol: :lol: :lol:

I was only 7 at the time but I actually do remember watching it.....I thought I would be the next guy to land on the moon, I gave up those dreams when I started getting sick on the rides at the fair after we climbed the fence to avoid paying admission!!!



> I believe that was Chunk who retrieved "most" of those beautiful green (and brown) headed ducks


I think Chunk should have been rewarded for all those retrieves with that bag of licorice!!! :laugh:


----------



## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

I was 11 years old and glued to the TV. I still remember thinking how cool it was to be an astronaut and wishing I could be one.

:beer:

huntin1


----------



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

Okay, for all you believers (I AM) and disbelievers, here is a link to the new Google Moon Photo Map Link site that shows ALL the landing sites and the level of detail is fantastic.

I highly suggest you click on the 1st landing (Apollo 11) and then increase magnification to the closest detail and see what others could only dream about!


----------



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

18 and at Vandigrift CB, Vietnam. Listened on Armed Forces Radio and even then a few thought it was faked. Cynical time. The biggest worry in our crew was if the astros would get home again.


----------



## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

> (and brown) headed ducks!


Who shot all of those? :wink:


----------



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

GooseBuster3 said:


> > (and brown) headed ducks!
> 
> 
> Who shot all of those? :wink:


I was wonderin when you would chime in!!!

At least notice I did ADD the mention in original post :wink:

I am so looking forward to seeing if I will be able to get out there this year. As my son now lives with me, and I am not sure of where my daughter will be this Fall, and then there is their "Mother" who is never around and doesn't pay (YET!) child support, I am prayin to get out there!

You guys have to know that the picture Dan sent me holds one of the highest points of respect and deepest appreciation in my office at work. That mean't a lot to me. It truly did and does... :beer:


----------



## DutyHonorCountryUSMC (Jun 23, 2005)

Preparing to pull out of Vietnam. I was 28 at the time, a Lieutenant in The Corps. (Sorry for any inconvenience... this is my son's account I was just browsing the computer)


----------



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

DutyHonorCountryUSMC,

No problem and thank you all for your service - then and now!

Also, go ahead and establish your own account and feel free to enter into the discussions!

Enjoy the day - and night!


----------



## redfishman (Apr 3, 2004)

Stationed at Fort Bragg N C -sleeping on the tarmack at Pope AFB by a C-141. Bad Times -Bad memories-tough times for this Great Nation. By the grace of Almighty God I survived . USA 18th divarty 82nd Airborne


----------



## joebobhunter4 (Jul 19, 2005)

i was still half in my dad and half in my mom!!!


----------



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

Kind of a followup to this thread.

It was 47 years ago today that President Eisenhower established NASA - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Think about it, from creation of a federal agency to putting a man on the moon took just a little less than 11 years... :beer:

Amazing what Americans can do when they put their mind, heart and soul into it!

Now, if we can only do the same for terrorism... :sniper:


----------

