I was a 10-year-old kid, glued to the TV, watching live coverage of the launch of Apollo 11 ...
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I was 11 months old. I've wished many times I could have been old enough to experience it.
I was 4 years old, and vaguely remember the event.
I was 8, my Dad worked at NASA along with every other Dad that lived on our street. We moved to League City because of the space program along with the vast majority of the Clear Lake residents. It was a true company town back then.
It was very cool growing up there during the space race. Going to school with astronauts kids, knowing Dads who were in Mission Control. One of my friend's Dad helped design the Apollo space suit. Tour buses going through town, every major news service has a studio set-up on Nasa Road 1 year-round. Fun times.
It was very cool growing up there during the space race. Going to school with astronauts kids, knowing Dads who were in Mission Control. One of my friend's Dad helped design the Apollo space suit. Tour buses going through town, every major news service has a studio set-up on Nasa Road 1 year-round. Fun times.
6 years old. Sitting in my Grandmother's recliner in Temple, Texas. She had color TV with a remote!
I was 5. Like you, I was glued to the tV, warching thisBrazosBendHorn said:
I was a 10-year-old kid, glued to the TV, watching live coverage of the launch of Apollo 11 ...
I cannot begin to imagine how cool that was, being part of the NASA community during the Apollo program ...MAROON said:
I was 8, my Dad worked at NASA along with every other Dad that lived on our street. We moved to League City because of the space program along with the vast majority of the Clear Lake residents. It was a true company town back then.
It was very cool growing up there during the space race. Going to school with astronauts kids, knowing Dads who were in Mission Control. One of my friend's Dad helped design the Apollo space suit. Tour buses going through town, every major news service has a studio set-up on Nasa Road 1 year-round. Fun times.
I was 6 in Houston. Still haven't tired of watching a Saturn V take off. Truly awesome.
Following up on this...I was 4 during Apollo 17 and 5 for the Skylab missions...have no recollection of any. The first mission I remember watching was ASTP, Apollo Soyuz with the last launch of the Apollo capsule, watching with my grandmother while spending several weeks with my grandparents at their farm in Missouri. The Saturn I-B isn't anything like the V but it was an incredible impression for me, almost age 7. Had to wait nearly a long 6 years for the launch of Columbia.New World Ag said:
I was 11 months old. I've wished many times I could have been old enough to experience it.
I'm jealous of those of you who got to experience the whole program as kids...I would have been so into it.
Sitting on an LZ leading into the A Shau Valley in Vietnam as Marine Platoon Commander with I/3/3.
Radio traffic kept us updated on the moon landing. Was 8 months into my 13 month tour.
Arrived in early Dec '68 and C-130 from DaNang to Cam lo on DMZ, assigned to 3rd Marines, two hours later we saddled up and the company boarded C-130s to An Hoa, arrived about 3am and at 8am my Platoon was loaded on CH-46s for insertion on LZ Mace. Took three attempts to get us in, finally rappelling in from 100 plus feet.
Secured LZ and blew down trees so 46s could land with the Company( sporadic resistance). Next 54 days spent doing battle with 1NVA Regt. Finally out for a short 3 day/2 night rest for Company and then back to the grind.
Medicvac to HS Sanctuary on later operation for a less than an 8 hour stay (thanks doc)(stitch up/patch and go).
Departed Vietnam with 3rd Marines on the Marine Corps Birthday 1969 aboard an LST to OKI.
Returned(twice) a couple years later flying the F-4 Phantom, sure beat humping those hills/Mtns and sleeping on the ground every night.
Semper Fi.
Radio traffic kept us updated on the moon landing. Was 8 months into my 13 month tour.
Arrived in early Dec '68 and C-130 from DaNang to Cam lo on DMZ, assigned to 3rd Marines, two hours later we saddled up and the company boarded C-130s to An Hoa, arrived about 3am and at 8am my Platoon was loaded on CH-46s for insertion on LZ Mace. Took three attempts to get us in, finally rappelling in from 100 plus feet.
Secured LZ and blew down trees so 46s could land with the Company( sporadic resistance). Next 54 days spent doing battle with 1NVA Regt. Finally out for a short 3 day/2 night rest for Company and then back to the grind.
Medicvac to HS Sanctuary on later operation for a less than an 8 hour stay (thanks doc)(stitch up/patch and go).
Departed Vietnam with 3rd Marines on the Marine Corps Birthday 1969 aboard an LST to OKI.
Returned(twice) a couple years later flying the F-4 Phantom, sure beat humping those hills/Mtns and sleeping on the ground every night.
Semper Fi.
Speaking of the Saturn I-B: in the early 1980s I got to attend a talk given by Jerry Carr (commander of the last Skylab mission). He described the ride to orbit on the Saturn I-B as follows: "Imagine driving down a dirt road at 100 mph in a pickup with square wheels"New World Ag said:Following up on this...I was 4 during Apollo 17 and 5 for the Skylab missions...have no recollection of any. The first mission I remember watching was ASTP, Apollo Soyuz with the last launch of the Apollo capsule, watching with my grandmother while spending several weeks with my grandparents at their farm in Missouri. The Saturn I-B isn't anything like the V but it was an incredible impression for me, almost age 7. Had to wait nearly a long 6 years for the launch of Columbia.New World Ag said:
I was 11 months old. I've wished many times I could have been old enough to experience it.
I'm jealous of those of you who got to experience the whole program as kids...I would have been so into it.
(or words to that effect)
And for you guys who were kids when Apollo 11 went up, did you bug your mom to buy some Pillsbury Space Food Sticks so you could eat cool space food like the astronauts?
https://www.metv.com/stories/space-food-sticks-were-the-coolest-snack-of-the-1970s
(And after consuming a few of them, did you feel like you'd been had by Madison Avenue?)
https://www.metv.com/stories/space-food-sticks-were-the-coolest-snack-of-the-1970s
(And after consuming a few of them, did you feel like you'd been had by Madison Avenue?)
of topic but always thought that it was the 101st and and arvn in july of 69 in the A Su Valley.
Yes the army had taken over in the far reaches of the A Shau by summer '69, 9th Marines had pushed deep(Dewey Canyon). I was located leading into, as stated.
And then there was the classic episode of Green Acres in which Arnold Ziffle (a pig) carried on a conversation with a supposed moon rock that Lisa Douglas had purchased for $14 ...
Those things were nasty!BrazosBendHorn said:
And for you guys who were kids when Apollo 11 went up, did you bug your mom to buy some Pillsbury Space Food Sticks so you could eat cool space food like the astronauts?
https://www.metv.com/stories/space-food-sticks-were-the-coolest-snack-of-the-1970s
(And after consuming a few of them, did you feel like you'd been had by Madison Avenue?)
No but I did drink TANG.BrazosBendHorn said:
And for you guys who were kids when Apollo 11 went up, did you bug your mom to buy some Pillsbury Space Food Sticks so you could eat cool space food like the astronauts?
https://www.metv.com/stories/space-food-sticks-were-the-coolest-snack-of-the-1970s
(And after consuming a few of them, did you feel like you'd been had by Madison Avenue?)
Saturn V... Still the most powerful rocket ever launched...
The sound and rumbles for the SpaceX testing just one of their big engines in McGregor (some 15 miles away as the crow flies) give an idea of what those things sound like in real life. They used to test them in the middle of the night. It made it look like the sun was coming up in the west.
The sound and rumbles for the SpaceX testing just one of their big engines in McGregor (some 15 miles away as the crow flies) give an idea of what those things sound like in real life. They used to test them in the middle of the night. It made it look like the sun was coming up in the west.
tang for sure - never had the Space Food Sticks.
we also shot off these bad boys - Estes Rockets. Which I had no idea you could still purchase.
we also shot off these bad boys - Estes Rockets. Which I had no idea you could still purchase.
I was 11 years old and saw the liftoff with my own eyes.
I was in Cocoa Beach that morning parked along some road side.
The thing you'll never get from the TV is the sound!
Think of pounding your chest like a gorilla.
I was in Cocoa Beach that morning parked along some road side.
The thing you'll never get from the TV is the sound!
Think of pounding your chest like a gorilla.
I was 12 years old. It was an exciting few days in July 1969.
A few weeks ago, I was driving back to East Tennessee, and drove through Huntsville, Alabama. Went right by the Marshall Space Flight Center and saw the Saturn rocket. Had no idea it was that big! Definitely on my bucket list to visit someday.
A few weeks ago, I was driving back to East Tennessee, and drove through Huntsville, Alabama. Went right by the Marshall Space Flight Center and saw the Saturn rocket. Had no idea it was that big! Definitely on my bucket list to visit someday.
I had not thought of those Space Food Sticks in at least 45 years; but I can taste that fake peanut butter flavor and remember the waxy texture right now.
Did you know a Robert Carruthers? Would have taught science there back in those days?
This post is for Cretaceous Level Subscribers only.
that name doesn't ring a bell. Will need to check my HS yearbook. Did he teach at Clear Creek?
Here's another cultural relic from half a century ago that some of you might remember: about 4 months after Apollo 11 there was a movie by the name of Marooned about a trio of astronauts stuck in earth orbit when the SPS on their service module won't fire ... starring Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Jansen, Gene Hackman, and James Franciscus ... was based on a novel by aviation writer Martin Caidin (who also penned the novel Cyborg, the basis for The Six Million Dollar Man) ... the movie was later rebranded Space Travelers and became fodder for Mystery Science Theater 3000 ...
I believe so, but not 100% sure. He's from that area and claimed to have taught a couple of astronauts kids, like Buzz or Neil's.
I taught with him almost 40 years later.
I taught with him almost 40 years later.
This post is for Cretaceous Level Subscribers only.
I checked my yearbook and he wasn't there 77-79. He was probably their earlier
I think their kids graduated in the early 70's
I think their kids graduated in the early 70's
My sister and I are cleaning out Dad's house to have an estate sale. I ran across this copy of the Chronicle. I plan to frame it and hang it just inside my game room so I can reenact the "No way!" scene from Dumb and Dumber every time I leave the room.
I was about 8 months old for Apollo 11. So I have no memory of it, of course.
I was about 8 months old for Apollo 11. So I have no memory of it, of course.
ToddyHill said:
I was 12 years old. It was an exciting few days in July 1969.
A few weeks ago, I was driving back to East Tennessee, and drove through Huntsville, Alabama. Went right by the Marshall Space Flight Center and saw the Saturn rocket. Had no idea it was that big! Definitely on my bucket list to visit someday.
I was about to turn 23 and don't remember if I watched it in real time or saw film of it later. I was never interested in the space program, Star Wars, Star Trek or any of that stuff. In fact, when I saw the thread title about 50 years ago, and the video image showing something to do with space, I wondered what happened 50 years ago that was significant. I would have bet money that the moon landing was when I was 10 or so.
It was, look at the original date of the thread, it got resurrected from years ago.
Late to this thread, not sure how I missed it way back then. I was 2 when the moon landing happened. I have no direct memories of that day, but what I do recall is a b&w Polaroid of me sitting with my dad on the living room floor with the TV on to the landing.
I remember this well. Both my paternal and maternal grandparents lived in Rosenberg. Everyone gathered at the paternal's house to watch. When Armstrong stepped down my maternal grandmother stepped out into the driveway then came back in and told all of us that someday we would tell our grandkids that she went outside to see if the moon looked different. Her prediction was right.
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