A Minnesota PBS Initiative
Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon
The Eagle has Landed
I was sitting at a table in the hot sun of Danang listening to a small transistor radio broadcasting AFN coverage of the moon landing on the morning of July 21, 1968.
The coverage was fascinating when Neil Armstrong uttered his famous remark “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." I can’t remember how long I listened as I had been up all night long but the memory has stuck with me.
Most Americans celebrate the landing on July 20, but for me I celebrate July 21, as I was on the other side of the world in a different day.
Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11. By NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Buzz Aldrin walks on the moon, July 20, 1969. By NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Biographical Details
Submitted From: Eden Prairie, MN
Primary Location During Vietnam: Danang, Vietnam 
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Navy
Dates of Service: 1966 - 1969
Unit: Naval Support Activity Danang RVN
Story Themes: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, Buzz Aldrin, Da Nang, Eden Prairie, Mike Haase, Moon Landing, NASA, Navy, Neil Armstrong, News Coverage, Pop Culture, Read