4
FOR ALL MANKIND
The first Moon landing was a shared global event that transcended politics and nations. It was so much more than an American achievement; it was an existential attainment in which every person on Earth shared. Pride in the Moon landing was a universal, which became directly palpable to the Apollo 11 astronauts during their thirty-eight-day, twenty-three-country Giant Step tour from September 29 through November 5, 1969. “Traveling around the world in the months after the flight,” recalled Mike Collins, Apollo 11 command module pilot, “I was continually impressed by the fact that no matter where we were, the reaction was the same. Never did I hear, ‘Well, you Americans finally did it.’ It always was ‘we,’ we human beings drawn together for one fleeting moment watching two of us walk that alien surface.” It was a “clear positive effect” of the first lunar landing—still undeniable today fifty years later, even though the universal spirit has unfortunately not been sustained many places on the planet with much vitality.18 During the Giant Step tour, between 100 million and 150 million people saw the astronauts, with an estimated 50,000 people worldwide actually shaking hands with them and some 10,000 receiving autographs. In the aftermath of the trip, Armstrong felt that Apollo 11 and the Giant Step tour truly did some good to unite the world. Speaking at a graduation ceremony at Wittenberg College in his native state of Ohio in the spring of 1970, Neil said, “More can be gained from friendship than from technical knowledge,” quite an admission coming from the devoted aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and astronaut.19
This chapter features letters to Neil from people around the world, from immediately after Apollo 11 through the last Moon landing mission, Apollo 17, which concluded with a successful splashdown on December 19, 1972. (Additional such letters can be found in subsequent chapters.) In contrast to the goodwill messages etched on the Apollo 11 silicon disc (featured in the preface), the letters in this chapter primarily come from everyday people, from all ranks of their societies, many of them from young people. What they all have in common is the desire to share a bit of themselves with the first man on the Moon and, if lucky enough, to get something back from him—a card, a letter, a photograph, an autograph, a thought, a sentiment—something they likely would cherish for the rest of their lives.
There is no exact count of the number of letters Neil received over the years from people living outside the United States, neither the raw total nor those preserved in the Neil A. Armstrong papers collection in the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections. An informed estimate for the latter would be 75,000 items, counting all manner of communication including cards, letters, telegrams, and printed copies of email messages. Based on my review of this material, the countries from which the greatest number of communications came to Armstrong over the years were (in rank order) Germany, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, India, France, Italy, Pakistan, Japan, Spain, Belgium, and Argentina.
Over the years Neil would often consult an encyclopedia to learn about the place from which a letter had arrived, or he would ask his secretary to make a notation about the area. Later in his life his two sons jokingly referred to him as “Mr. Google” for his broadly based command of diverse information and his use of the internet to learn about what he did not know.
“IT WAS A BIT LIKE BREAKING DOWN SOME MAGIC”
August 11, 1969
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Neil Armstrong:
As an artist I am very deeply influenced by the Apollo 11 flight. I do not admire it only as an achievement of mankind because it anyway would have happened one day, but mainly as a heroic deed of three men.
The whole journey might be technically even easy for the crew but there still was so much quite new and impossible to figure out in advance in it. It was a bit like breaking down some magic and that is the point which never will lost it’s shine.
Altough each of you have got a high technical education and you therefore should completely rely on your equipments and mathematical calculations made for the flight. Nevertheless it is quite clear you still have the very same human feelings as anybody else.
The ability for controlling these feelings should be called the courage of modern times. This courage was needed on the way.
Also the part of your families before and during the flight could not be the easiest ones. Though your wives no doubt were made well aware in detail of the whole operation and it’s theoretic security they never before had experienced such a sense of relief as then as the craft splashed to the ocean.
I can be so sure of this because I myself sometimes during the flight suddenly found myself hoping that the men would just survive.
Beeing dominated by above kind of thoughts and feelings I got an idea to create a series of jewellery showing moon landscapes. I gave the serie a name “Moonrocks”.
To show my admiration I decided to present the first three “Moonrocks” pieces to the families of the moon conquerors. These pieces are executed in gold and will remain unique pieces.
Congratulating you and hoping you will accept my gift, I am,
Sincerely Yours
Matti Hyvärinen
Turku, Finland
“I REALIZED THAT THIS MUSIC SHOULD
BELONG ONLY TO YOU”
September 22, 1969
To our Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin Aldrin Jr.
This is a message sent to you from Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic. S. A. It is from someone who has lived together with all his family the great emotion of your heroic feat.
As physician and investigator I have always explored the unlimited Universe called Microcosmos, more ever I have spared time for two hobbies: Astronomy and Music.
With a telescope bought in New York many years ago I have been able to study minutely the visible face of the Moon. That is why I have been familiar with the sight of the “Sea of Tranquility” on which you have been the first to step.
On one of those days of your great adventure without expressively porposing it to myself I sat down to my little piano and began to give expression to the sentiments that filled my heart.
After listening to what I have composed I realized that this music should belong only to you.
The grave chords to the rhythm of march seemed to me to terpret the firm and strong decision you have shown to march ever forward towards the Unknown, the lighter and more cheerful parts interpret your joy on seeing, each time you left the dark sight of the Moon, the image of your distant planet and the inmense satisfaction of a mission fulfilled.
Excuse the imperfections you may find in it. It was imposible for me to avoid the trafic noise of Buenos Aires.
Nevertheless I want you to know when listening to this music that there is a family here, who like millions more in all over the world has felt together with yours the same anguish and anxiety as well as the great joy of having you in your homes again.
I am ever sincerely yours
Dr. Carlos Velasco Suárez
Facultad de Ciencias Medicas
Instituto de Oncologia
Buenos Aires
Argentina
N.B. The tape recorder as used as I was composing the music and I have not wished to shorten it in spite of its duration so that you may hear the original composition.
I have added three compositions more dedicated to Mrs Armstrong, Mrs Collins and Mrs Aldrin, these are two songs and a “tango.”
July 1, 1970
Dear Mister ARMSTRONG
The letter with this one should have been sent when you started on your voyage round the world.
I thought of handing it to you here in Buenos Aires, but it was not possible nor oportune.
I have let the days pass until you should be home again rested after your long journey and less in demand.
Possibly next May I may go to Houston to assist at the 10th International Congress of Cancer.
Perhaps I shall then have the great honour and pleasure of making your acquaintance personally.
I am yours sincerely
Dr. Carlos Velasco Suárez
Universidad de Buenos Aires
Facultad de Ciencias Medicas
Instituto de Oncologia
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires was the third stop on the Apollo 11 Giant Step Presidential Goodwill Tour, on October 1–2, 1969.
“I ALSO BEG TO GOD THAT ALL YOUR
BEST WISHES BECAME TRUE”
February 2, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
At this marvellous moments, we ask succes triumph and trust for the men that went to the moon, I ask to God many succesfull for the Astronauts and their marvellous country.
Mrs Rosa that always talk about the three white lillys and pray to God when you Mr Armstrong landed on the moon, and not only this I spoke I beg for the return of yours to the earth, for me it is a duty wait good news of the explorers, I ask to the sky as a mother that want the triumph and the return of her childrens. The people say that the Astronauts are much nervous, I say not, they have faith they have not afraid, I also beg to God that all your best wishes became true, for the luck of the Science people.
Maybe you forget me, but I always will be praying for the triumph of the Science.
With sincere regards.
Rosa Aban de Terroyza
Buenos Aires, Argentina
“MY FAMILY REGARDS YOU ARE OUR CLOSE COUSIN”
June 12, 1970
DEAR NEIL ALDEN ARMSTRONG, MY DEAREST BROTHER,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KINDNESS. I AM SO DELIGHTED AND ALSO VERY GLAD TO RECEIVE THE BEAUTIFUL PATCH. I AM VERY HAPPY TO READ YOUR VERY NICE LETTER. I THINK OF YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK YOU ARE VERY GOOD MAN, YOU ALSO KEEP ONE’S PROMISE FOR YOU CAN REMEMBER ME WHO IS ONLY A SMALL THAI GIRL AND IS NOT IMPORTANT. I KEEP THAT PATCH WITH YOUR LETTER AND YOUR PHOTOES IN THE VERY BEST WAY. I AM SO SORRY THAT I COULD NOT ANSWER YOUR LETTER AND THANK YOU AS QUICKLY AS I WOULD LIKE TO DO. BECAUSE I WAS ILL AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE VERY BUSY ABOUT APOLLO 13. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, SO I AM AFRAID THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE TIME BECAUSE YOU MUST WORK HARD. MY PARENTS, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MY TEACHERS AND ALSO MY FRIENDS ALL WERE VERY PROUD AND PLEASED WITH ME. MY FAMILY REGARDS YOU ARE OUR CLOSE COUSIN.
MRS. BARBARA DREXLER PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER, MY AMERICAN TEACHER AT SCHOOL WAS VERY GLAD, PROUD AND ALSO VERY VERY INTERESTING, FOR MY FRIENDS AND I HAD A CHANE TO MEET AND TO TALK WITH YOU. SHE ASKED US TO WRITE A LONG COMPOSITION CALLED “THREE THAI STUDENTS MEET THE ASTRONAUT NEIL A. ARMSTRONG AT ERAWAN HOTEL” IN THE MOST WELL-KNOWN COLUMN OF “SPACETIME,” THE NEWSPAPER OF OUR SCHOOL. ALL THE STUDENTS WERE VERY INTERESTED IN OUR COMPOSITION. THIS COMPOSITION MADE US BECAME WELL-KNOWN. THEY CALLED ME “LUXIE” SINCE I USED THIS NAME IN THE NEWSPAPER.
I AM VERY GLAD THAT YOU GIVE ME A BLESSING. NOW YOUR BLESSING HAS COME TRUE, I HAD PASSED THE FINAL EXAMINATION AND ALSO PASSED THE EXAM FOR STUDYING IN THE UNIVERSITY IN “POLITICAL SCIENCE.” IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND BUSY. ARE YOU GLAD?
I WISE YOU WERE MY REAL ELDEST BROTHER I LOVE YOUR SONS LIKE MY BROTHERS. WOULD YOU MIND LETINE ME BE YOUR SON’S PENFRIEND AND DO YOU STILL WORK ON APOLLO AT NASA ORGANIZATION? I ASKED YOU BECAUSE MY FRIEND TOLD ME THAT YOU DO NOT WORK ON APOLLO. IF IT IS TRUE, I WOULD BE APPRECIATED IT IF YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR NEW WORK AND NEW ADDESS.
I THINK THE APOLLO 13 DID NOT FALL AS SOMEONE SAID BUT I AGREE WITH YOUR PRESIDENT THAT IT IS NOT FAILURE, IT MUST BE THE GREAT SUCCESS OF NASA ORGANIZATION CERTAINLY.
I WISE I WERE A PERSON WHO WORK ON NASA BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. I THINK I WILL GO TO SEE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AT YOUR HOUSE SOMEDAY, IF YOU DO NOT MIND AND REMEMBER ME.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME, WRTIE TO ME WITH “A COLOURED PICTURE OF YOUR FAMILY.” PLEASE GIVE MY RESPEST TO YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR WIFE, AND ALSO SAY HELLO TO YOUR SONS, “RICKY AND MARK.” I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR LETTER AND YOUR FAMILY’S PHOTO. IN SPIRE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ARE VERY BUSY. BEST WISHES FOR CONTINEUED SUCCESS IN YOUR BUSINESS ESPECIALLY THE PROJECT OF APOLLO. TO BE SO PLEASED TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON, AND I HOPE YOU WILL BE STILL MY WELL-POWER FOR MY STUDYING IN UNIVERSITY
YOURS AFFECTIONATELY AND SINCERELY,
Luxana Nil-Ubol
Bangkok, Thailand
With the letter Ms. Nil-Ubol sent Neil a photo of herself, on the back of which she wrote: “To Neil… (Alden)—Best Wishes—Always be your sister and your friend—Yours sincerely & affectionately. Luxana Nilubol”
The Apollo 11 Giant Step Presidential Goodwill Tour stopped in Bangkok from October 26 to 28, 1969. This was in the middle of the Vietnam War, when many American military personal visited Bangkok for their R & R.
“I NEED A SMALL ROCKET”
June 15, 1970
Dear sir,
How are you? I live in Nicaragua in the Department of Rivas. I study in a National Institute and I am in the third year of secondary school. How does it feel to set foot on the moon and be the first human being there? I imagine that you were nervous and happy at the same time.
In my school we are having a ‘nuclear fair’ on space and the moon and I need a small rocket. Perhaps you could get one for me; it should have cameras inside to take photographs. I need this for the fair and I hope you will not disappoint me. Let me know how to launch it and how long it takes. I admire you all, especially those at the space center who have discovered a new world before the Russians.
I would like to study in the United States but I do not have the money. I am going to write to President Nixon, perhaps he will send for me.
I hope that you can send me what I ask for. My address is below.
Frank Alcaser Veliz
Rivas, Nicaragua
P.S. I hope for a favorable reply. Your friend.
“I MUST ADMIT THAT I ADMIRE YOU ABOVE ALL”
June 23, 1970
Dear Neil,
I can’t quite think of anyone who has contributed so much to history as you have done by your success, as being the first human being to set foot on the moon. I realize a great deal of credit should be given to all the ‘wonderful’ people who have contributed to the exploration of space, as well, but perhaps fifty years from now, history books will concentrate more on you than on any other ‘pioneer of space.’ I think the reason for this is not only due to the actually mission but also to the results of your mission. For example: when you were descending from the ‘Eagle’ and was about to take that “one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind,” the world watched this achievement in silence. At that time was united as one, and this is a great achievement within itself.
Though I admire many great people whether they lived in the past or live in the present, I must admit that I admire you above all. For this reason I would like to ask you, if I may please have the honour of having an autographed picture of you, to keep as a memento of the greatest man in history. I would appreciate it very much if you would please send it to my address which I have written at the top of this letter. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely
Loretta Busato
Toronto, Canada
Regrettably, the Apollo 11 Giant Step Presidential Goodwill Tour did not make a stop at any Canadian city, despite the fact that Canadians made several significant contributions to the Apollo program. Some of those contributions were provided by the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. Perhaps Canada’s most significant contribution to the U.S. space program came following the Canadian government’s cancelation of the Avro Arrow, an advanced supersonic fighter plane being built in Malton, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. When the group of engineers that designed and built the Arrow was broken up in February 1959, a number of them went to work for NASA, where they helped form the core of the team that took America to the Moon.
“I HOPE YOUR CHILDREN ARE AS PROUD
OF YOU AS MUCH AS I AM”
July 4, 1970
Dear Neil,
I hope you do not find me rude to use your first name, as it is the first time I have wrote to you.
I need’nt tell you how proud and thrilled your moon landing made me feel. (I have no doubt that you felt the same way.)
I watched and thourghally enjoyed the moon landing on T.V., (although I was so very tired.)
When I leave school, I hope to become a police woman. I will leave school in two years time when I will be seventeen.
I have always wanted to work with police, ever since I was about nine years old.
I cannot give you a description of myself, as I find it very hard to do so.
Regretfully, I have no recent photographs of myself, so I hope that you will take interest in this letter and next time when I write again, (if you don’t mind) I will send a photograph of myself.
Since Apollo 10, I started doing a project. It has become very interesting with the help of Houston and London from where I recieved a tremendous lot of information.
I hope your children are as proud of you as much as I am.
My feelings for our bravery can be summed up in one word, “FANTASTIC.”
Yours sincerely,
Saint Helens,
Lancashire, England
“PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO TRAIN AS AN ASTRONAUT”
July 7, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I am a Japanese boy who go to senior high school. I am interested in science.
Let me congratulate you on your success. ‘Man tread on the ground of the moon.’ I was deeply impressed with the fact. We were watching it on TV. I received histric paper from The New York Times.
What did you do while by the time you arrive the moon? Did you feel solitary? If I were you, I won’t be able to bear the solitude.
How do you think that you are the first man step on the moon as mankind?
Please tell me how to train as an astronaut.
I am sorry to hear Apollo 13 failed. In America, is 13 supposed to be unlucky, isn’t it? In Japan, it is supposed to be unlucky, too.
When you came Japan, what was your impression of Tokyo? The other day, Japan launched an artificial satellite. How did you think about Japanese space development project?
Would you reply to letter? If you do so, I am happy.
Sincerely yours,
Manabu Saito
Mishima-shi, Shizuokaka
Japan
P.S. If you can, would you please send me your picture and Nasa’s sticker?
“BY NOW I EXPECT YOU ARE HEARTILY SICK
OF EARTH TRAVEL AND SPEECHES”
July 7, 1970
Dear Col. (?) Armstrong,
Forgive me if I have demoted you in rank, but write-ups over here have mentioned only your name.
My family and I have for many weeks wished to write and congratulate you on your most wonderful achievements in space, but it would appear you have been overseas most of the time, and we felt it would be wiser to wait until you had a more permanent address.
By now I expect you are heartily sick of earth travel and speeches, and will welcome the return to a more normal life if, indeed, you are now in Washington, as were lead to believe.
It is difficult to put into words our feelings for you as you stepped onto the moon’s surface for the first time. I can only say it was so awe-inspiring that it was almost unbelievable, and that we who sat glued to our T.V. screens had such concern for your safety, and that of your fellow-Astronauts, that for those tense hours you became a part of the family.
We applaud your decision to quite flying, because we feel that after such a magnificent achievement for mankind, nothing should prevent you from enjoying a long and happy life with your lovely wife and family.
May I ask one tiny favour? That you will autograph the enclosed card, which we shall frame, and which will then become one of the most treasured possessions in our home.
Most sincerely,
Mrs. Marcia Langford
Killarney Heights,
New South Wales, Australia
“WITH ALL MY HEART, I LOVE YOU AND RESPECT YOU”
July 10, 1970
Dear Armstrong,
With all my heart, I love you and respect you. When you were in Apollo 11, I felt as if I was with you all the way to the moon. Every day, as soon as I get up from bed, I look at your photo nailed on the wall in front of me and gather strength and courage for my day’s task. Inside my shirt pocket, I have another photo of yours, which I gaze at when alone or away from home.
Oh how lovely you are Mr. Neil, the bravest and the most courageous of men! I hail this day 20-7-70, as a mark of your setting foot on the moon a year ago.
How eagerly I wish for your autograph!
Your ever remembering friend,
M. Gunasekaran,
Tamil Nadu, South India,
India.
“I FOLLOWED YOUR MOON-SHOT SO CLOSELY
THAT I COULD NOT RESIST WRITING”
July 14, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
As you will probably have guessed from what I have written on the outside of this letter I am writing to wish you a happy anniversary on your first anniversary of returning from the moon. Please do not doubt your memory for not remembering my name as, I am sorry to say, we have never met but I followed your moon-shot so closely that I could not resist writing to you at this time. I find it hard to believe that it is only one short year since I saw you on television, step down from the “Sea King” onto the “U.S.S. Hornet”. I will never forget watching you and the other two lunar-nauts, looking like ghosts in your special isolation suits, walking tired but triumphantly, over to the “Silver Caravan” with it’s significant sign of “Hornet +3”. I don’t know how you felt bobbing about in that capsule before you were picked up but I felt sick just watching it on television.
Needless to say I watched the landing on the Moon itself. I was one of the last survivors, in fact. My younger brother, intent on “keeping up with the Joneses,” said he would stay up too. As soon as 11 came and went he dropped off to sleep in his chair. Finally at about 3 p.m. our time, we caught our first gimpse of your leg waggling about so we decided to waken him up. His reaction was “Well thay have landed, I’m going to bed.” What a life. From that you will deduce that he is not, like me, a fully-fledged Lunar-Nut. Something which has puzzled me ever since then is, did you ever get any of that beautiful “Hornet-3” which was beside the “Silver Caravan” when you landed?? This may seem a very futile question considering that it was baked in your honor and that of Mr. Collins and Mr. Aldrin, it seems a bit ridiculous to think of your not getting a piece but on the other hand, I don’t see how you could get a slice considering that you left it outside when you went into the “Silver Caravan” and you were supposed to be in quarantine from then on.
Well I suppose I’d better stick to questions like “When does the escape tower of the Saturn V rocket fall away?” At least I have some hope of getting an answer to that one.
Yours Sincerely,
Michael Mc Mullin (14 years old)
Stranorlar
County Donegal, Ireland
After becoming an avid golfer in his middle age, Neil Armstrong made many visits to Ireland and Great Britain to play golf with his two sons and with friends.
July 14, 1970
Mr. Neil Alden Armstrong,
I’m an Italian girl fifteen years old. I’m going to write you because it’s just one year you has walked for the I [first] time in mankind’s history, on the Moon. So I wish compliment you on your enterprise. I’ve written you twice but I’ll never tire to tell you that you’re my idol & for me you’re the most important man on the world for your courage, intelligence, cleverness talent &, allow me to say you, for your beauty. I’ll come in the United States in a few days (July 25) & I should like to come in Houston but it’s impossible. I’ll go in New York, Albany, Washington, Canton (near Wapakoneta, your birth-place) and Niagara Falls. So I’ll be able to visit the most important nation on the world that has succeed in a great enterprise like that of “FIRST MAN ON THE MOON”
Again congratulations!
Lovely Loredana Sivori
Rome, Italy
The Apollo 11 Giant Step Presidential Goodwill Tour visited Rome for three full days, October 15–18, 1969. While there, the astronauts and their wives visited the Vatican and enjoyed a papal audience with Pope Paul VI in the Papal Library of St. Peters Cathedral. (During the Moon landing the pope had gone to Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo to look at the Moon through a telescope, making public remarks and offering a statement in English.) While in Rome, they also attended an elegant party at the home of the famous Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida.
“A SYMBOL OF APPRECIATION AND ADMIRATION”
July 15, 1970
Dear Mr Armstrong,
This letter comes to you from afar, but it brings you news which indicates how close you, Mr Aldrin and Mr Collins are to us in thought. We certainly admire your courage and success and now my family and I have a humbe way in which we have made a symbol of appreciation and admiration to your great achievement!
Enclosed you will find two photo copies of a Tibetan Carpet which has the words “APOLLO 11” woven on it. The explanation for this has been written by one of my sons. (also enclosed)
After weaving this we made another similar carpet, but really did not know where we should sell them. Finally, one of my children said that we should write to you and ask if you are interested in buying it, because it does bear the symbol of your unique success! Therefore, I wonder if you are interested in buying it? If not, please could you help us by organizing an auction in either a club or wherever you think it best and try to sell the carpets. If you, Mr Aldrin or Mr Collins wish to buy one or more each, we shall be most happy to make more of such carpets.
I assure you that the carpets are of 1st class quality and will last you a very long time. The materials of these carpets are of very superior wool from Holland. For your information I herewith enclose a slip which bears the trade Mark of the wool.
As you can see in the photo the carpets have been woven very skilfully and if the photoes have been coloured, you will really see how beautiful and unique the carpet looks!
As explained above, the carpets bear two aims:—i.e. they pay tribute to your historic success and they are the hopes for our childrens’ needs and education. Therefore, I hope you will help us in whatever way you can. Any suggestions you can give will be most welcome.
With our very best wishes and hope of hearing soon.
Yours sincerely,
Karma Wangchuck
India
Size of the Carpet…. Length 6 ft. 4 Inches. Breath 3 ft. 1 inch. Cost price for one carpet … Dollars 475.00 (four hundred and seventy-five only)
Reply from S. B. Weber, Neil’s assistant
November 4, 1970
Dear Mr. Wangchuck:
Thank you for your very kind letter to Mr. Armstrong offering him the opportunity to purchase the fine rug woven by you and your family. Your gesture is certainly appreciated; however, Mr. Armstrong is not in a position to assist you with the sale of this item.
We hope you will enjoy success in this and your many other endeavors. Best wishes.
Sincerely,
S. B. Weber
“EVERYTHING THAT NASA DOES IS OF
GREAT INTEREST TO ME”
July 16, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
Perhaps in your country people are remembering what day today is, but here, much to my sorry, not even one word was mentioned of the greatest event there ever was.
I want to say that I am remembering today and all it meant to you and your colleagues Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins. Everything that NASA does is of great interest to me and I send you all my very best wishes for all future endeavours. I would appreciate it if you would convey to Buzz and Mike my congratulations on the first anniversary and not forgetting yourself.
My best wishes always to you all.
Yours Sincerely,
Margaret Smith
Ladysmith, Natal
Republic of South Africa
“SHE WAS CHRISTENED PETRA M. APOLLA”
July 21, 1970
Sir,
On the day of the greatest triumph of the United States and the human race my little sister was born at the same time when you set foot on the moon, so she was christened Petra M. Apolla.
My name Manfred Kolar, I’m 17 years old and have two brothers, aged 15 and 10, and am a pupil of the grammar school in Graz.
My greatest wish for my sister’s second birthday would be Neil Armstrong’s autograph. With this biggest wish of my life so far I turn to NASA and hope you will be able to fulfil it.
With many thanks in advance and the wish that each further step forward in the space-programme may be crowned with success,
yours faithfully
Manfred Kolar
Graz, Austria
“I MUST CONFESS TO BEING A LITTLE JEALOUS”
July 23, 1970
Dear Sir Armstrong,
I would like first of all to hope that my letter reaches your hands and that when you have received it you will not tear it up and throw it away, if instead you have not done this and are now reading it, I thank you.
I have waited a long time to write to you until you had a little more free time than when you were so busy after your historic flight.
I am a neopolitan young man and justice in my shop my profession of hairdresser, but since child hood my hobby has been Astronautics which at that time was science fiction and which, thanks to you and thanks to your co-workers today has become reality in such a short time, so since I was small I have always saved and collected cuttings from news papers and magazines, books, recordings of the dialogue, of takeoff and splashdown, and of Transmissions from satellites; 8 mm films, stamps, coins, etc. all concerning space exploration, and I will always continue to collect because I think that this is the most beautiful thing that has happened in the world of Today.
My thanks go to you and your colleagues, who with your courage have made it possible for us to witness the most sensational undertaking of all ages—I must confess to being a little jealous to see you during the moon walk because the first man to set foot on the moon, I have been sincere in Telling you this and I will also tell you that I felt that also I was up there while I followed by Television that magnificent and stupendous spectacle, and throughout it all mission I often prayed for you and your colleagues. But I would not want to annoy you by speaking always of me. I will say only that I have written because I want so much to know something from you reguarding your work, but written by you yourself, even though it is only a few lines, and then if possible I would like you to send me a photo of you in your space suit, autographed, if possible so that I can add it to the precious possesions in my collection. If you do this for me I will be very greateful and very happy.
I hope you will forgive me for having made you lost precious time and forgive the of this letter imperfections, due to my imperfect knowledge of english.
Good by
Peretti Alessandro
Naples, Italy
P.S. (If you can, send me the address of Sir Michael Collins. Thank you)
“I FELT THAT MY WHOLE BODY WAS SHAKING”
July 27, 1970
TO: Neil A Armstrong
My best wishes for you that you are doing fine along, with your family, also sharing happy moments in your social functions. Today that we celebrate the first anniversary since man walked ont eh Moon, I decided to write to you to express my admiration, and congrulate the rest of the astronauts, that realized the greatest act of these days and a gigant step to the Universe. I am a young girl that likes to follow step by step all of the projects to the Moon.
The trip of Apollo 11 was to me something unbelievable and from the moment that you all lift the earth I lived a along with you those instants of worry and anguish because, that is how I felt, and all I could remember was your parents and how they filt, that their son, was realizing something difficult, but at the same time great, and unbelievable. In those days our country, was in a difficult moments, for we had a war with El Salvador, but this wasn’t enough for us to be pending, of your walk on the Moon, when this happened. I felt that my whole body was shaking, I watched the Moon at that moment but I couldn’t see anything, but I knew and was sure that, there were two personas on that satellite.
Now every night watch the Moon, especially when it is full and it seems so impossible that it has, been visited by two representatives of the human nation. And I ask myself what do you all feel when you look at it and can say “One day I was there.”
Not so long ago in a newspaper of this country came out a picture of your parents with a Honduran, that studies in that city donating same thing for his study, at the same time your mother said that if you where Invited buy the gobernor, of this country, you will have the opportunity to visit here, this is something that I wish for we’ll have the opportunity to meet your personally.
I will like for you to share this letter with your parents, especially your mother, whom I admire for all the difficult moments. I will like very much to be your friend although through correspondence especially with your Mother who is proud each day of her son.
I will appreciate much if you write back to me and send your parents, address for I will like to be their friend, even though from this for country, I remember them and admire you, hoping to you very soon. Best of luck always
Sincerely
Lexcy C Romero
La Ceiba, Honduras C.A.
“YOU STILL REMAIN AN ALL-TIME GREAT WITH ME”
July 30, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I hope that this letter reaches you as close to the 5th of August (in your time zone) as possible, as I would personally like to send you my greetings and best wishes on the occasion of your birthday. (The 5th of August in America will be the 6th of August over here in Australia).
I am 15 years of age and am in my second last year of high school. I have always been a great admirer and follower of the Space Program, and your magnificent achievement over a year ago has made you into my greatest idol from among your fifty former colleagues, the other astronauts in Houston, although they are all brave and heroic men.
It is now over a year since your magnificent exploits, and now although you are out of the public eye and have a nice quiet desk job, you still remain an all-time great with me. I realise the number of people who have tried to reach you or meet you over the last 12 months, but I thought that now that it is your birthday, I might be at least able to send you a small note of thanks for the great joy you brought to me in July 1969. In conclusion, once again sending you my best wishes. Happy Birthday Neil Armstrong.
YOURS SINCERELY,
Leonard Halprin
Bentleigh
Victoria, Australia
In the ensuing years Dr. Leonard Halprin would come to know Neil Armstrong personally and maintain a correspondence with him right up to the time of Neil’s death in 2012.
“I THEN STAYED UP ALL NIGHT WATCHING YOU”
August 1, 1970
Dear Friend:
No doubt you think it odd to get a letter from a girl you don’t know!
Good! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Conchita Estremera and I am 14; I am one of your admirers. Here is something you ought to know: when I am sad I will tell you my problems, and when I am happy I will tell you of my joy; when I go on a trip I’ll take your photo along so that you can “see” what the life of a Spanish girl is like.
May I use the familiar pronoun with you? I hope so. Personally speaking, I would not want you to use the polite form.
Here is why I am writing: according to the papers in Spain, 5 August is your birthday; best wishes to you, and I hope they don’t come too late.
I was so impressed by your trip to the moon that I still think of it every day.
Are you Catholic? I am; so on 20 July last year I got up at 7:30 a.m. to go to Mass. We then went for a trip and came home in the afternoon. I then stayed up all night watching you and your companions go to the Moon. I stayed up a total of 28 hours without sleep.
All the best for now.
Conchita Estremera
Campo, Huesca
Spain
“THEY WERE BORN THE DAY YOU LEFT THE EARTH”
[Translated from French at NASA Headquarters]
August 11, 1970
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Armstrong:
I have sent you these cards because my two children are now one year old. As you know, they were born the day you left the Earth, so you are the parents of these two children. This is why I have written you three times already to give them some money. They need clothes and I am poor. Help me. I wish you and your family a long and happy life.
Paul Amissale
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
On the back of the photo: “Claude Alain Amissale and Claude Vincent Amissale. One year ago, they were born on the day of departure of the Apollo 11.”
“I AM STILL PROUDLY KEEPING THE UNCASHED CHECK”
August 12, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I have the honour of meeting you in person during your visit to Turkey on October 21, 1969 in Ankara, when you stopped by the European Exchange System store where I owned a small Turkish souvenir counter from which you had bought some souvenir items as reminder of Turkey. I am still proudly keeping the uncashed check covering your purchase as the most valuable asset I own, which I will pass it to my sons and grandsons.
I am enclosing the thermofax copy of the check you wrote, but also I am intending to send it back to you, if you could kindly send me a symbolic one (personal) for 1 dollar written to my name (Abdullah Arson) in return. And if it bears the historic date of July 21, I will consider myself the happiest man of the world by having it as an eternal souvenir.
I hope that I was not asking too much. Awaiting your kind reply, I remain Mr. Armstrong, and I salute the owner of the giant step of the mankind in your person. My best and sincerest regards for you and your family.
Yours sincerely,
Abdullah Arsan
Ankara, Turkey
Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Turkey and its second largest city, was the seventeenth stop on (on the fifteenth day of) Apollo 11’s forty-five-day, twenty-three-country Giant Step Presidential Goodwill Tour. The astronauts and entourage arrived there (from Belgrade) on October 20 and departed (for Kinshasa, in what was then the Congo) on October 22, 1969. Besides visiting the marketplace, the Apollo 11 astronauts and their wives, with a heavy escort, visited some of Ankara’s very old Hittite, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman archaeological sites, including the Temple of Augustus and Rome dating from the first century BC.
September 30, 1970
Dear Mr. Arsan:
Please accept my apology for the delayed response to your letter of August 12. I have moved to Washington, and your letter encountered some delay in forwarding to my present address.
Enclosed is a duplicate check to the one you are holding. Keep either one for yourself and cash the other. I will void the check that you keep.
Enclosed is a photograph which you may find preferable to the check, in which case you may feel free to destroy the second check.
Sincerely,
Neil A. Armstrong
Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics
Office of Advanced Research and Technology
NASA
Washington, D.C.
“SERIOUSLY NEIL SHE REALLY ADORES YOU”
May 12, 1970
Dear Neil,
Please forgive me for taking the liberty of writing to you, my name is Johnny Jones. I’m from North Wales been here 5 yrs and like yourself a father of 4 but, with your help I might be able to pacify my or rather one of my daughters Charmaine, age 14.
You Neil are the focal pointing her life she wants to follow your foot steps, she wants to be an astronaut and no one can change her views after leaving High School she wants to go to University for Aeronautics and to take up flying.
I wont’ stop her if, she wants to do that. I’ll help her in everyway but boy oh boy, you’ve certainly caused a stir within her.
Your photo’s on the table by her bed, she followed your flight to the moon & everything you do, and now: dare anyone or anybody say anything about you (teasing) they are in for trouble as she’s rather broadminded and outspoken in her opinions.
Well this is my Request to you if, you have the time to spare to write a short man to man like letter to her and a photo of yourself with your autograph on it you certainly make a young becoming young lady very very happy indeed.
She’s a good kid Neil at the moment with her little sister Yvonne they are making winter coats for the two kittens & Mum sitting in the chair knitting.
Seriously Neil she really adores you, because, of your achievement and as a man & all she’s interested is Rockets space & future developments of space programs, if you do consider my Request would you kindly roughly explain the process of becoming an astronaut. Unknowingly to the three of them sitting here I am enclosing some photos of them my wife & my two girls the other big two girls are married with children.
So I’ll end now whatever your decision will be in Regards My Request to you, and wishing you & also admire you for your wonderful achievement of human mankind to have your name forever in Human History. God Bless you Neil & your family
Yours Sincerely
Johnny Jones
Stanmore (Sydney)
New South Wales, Australia
P.S. Will you kindly Return the photos to us. Thanks Neil
P.P.S. Our two kittens are named Luna Module & Appollo 11.
“I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO
HAS HEARD ALL ABOUT YOU”
August 13, 1970
Dear Mr Neil Armstrong,
I am Nigel Imrie and I am a pupil in Buca school and I am one of those people who has heard all about you on radio and news paper and writing letter at 20 past 8 at night and I am asking you for your photograph with your autorgraph at the bottom of it.
My home is situated wright on the water front and the passing ships look as if they were sailing past in our front yard, I am 12 years old and I am in class 7. On every Friday our class goes to sports we always play hokey. Our class also has a garden where we plant our vegestables. Every Friday after we have our lunch our class goes to our garden, in our garden we plant carrots, spring onions, corn and carrots. Well I must be going to bed now.
Yours sincearly
Nigel Imrie
Buca Goverment School
Savusavu
Vanua Levu
FIJI
Here I will draw you and your friends when you have land in the sea of Tranquility.
At the bottom of the letter is a drawing of the Apollo 11 splashdown with the lunar module in the water, a helicopter above, and the USS Hornet to the side. In Nigel’s handwriting, “FIRST MEN TO LAND ON THE MOON—EDWIN ALDRIN—MICHAEL COLLINS—NEIL ARMSTRONG first.”
October 2, 1970
Nigel Imrie
c/o Morris Hedstrom Ltd.
Thank you for your very kind letter to Mr. Armstrong and the drawing showing the landing at the Sea of Tranquility. He enjoyed them very much. Unfortunately, because of his heavy schedule of activities for NASA, he was unable to respond personally to your letter.
We are enclosing an autographed picture of Mr. Armstrong as you requested. Best wishes and, again, thank you for writing.
Sincerely yours,
S. B. Weber
“I ENCLOSE TWO POSTAGE COUPONS”
August 16, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
In July 1969 my family and I were camping in a lovely part of Denmark. One night we got up and walked over the heath to a village to look at the television. It was a long walk for me, but by far not as long as the trip you were on.
That night I saw you on the moon, and later I have seen many pictures of you, but I would be very glad if you would be so kind as to send me a more personal photo and your autograph.
I have postponed this letter till now, as I imagine that you will have better time now than just after the moonlanding to answer such a letter. I enclose a photo of myself to show you and your children what a 13-years old Danish boy looks like.
As it must be terribly expensive for you to answer all the letters you receive, I enclose two postage coupons.
Sincerely yours,
Jakob Bjerre-Madsen
Skovlunde, Denmark
“IT WAS MY GREAT WISH TO SEE YOU”
August 18, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
Since a long time I am eager to come closer to you—who has touched a new maiden surface. I had to go to many offices in Karachi, to get your adress. Just today I got it from the American centre and am writing you with a hope that you will surely reply it inspite of your busy assignments.
The news that man has conquered the moon was heard with great interest in Pakistan too. Many functions were held in which the speakers praised the moon’s conquest. In my school too a programme was held in which a full length film of your moon landing was shown. I wrote an essay about the conquest of moon which was given the first prize.
Mr. Armstrong, it was my great wish to see you and I know you have come to Pakistan but it was my bad luck that you did not come to Karachi. However, I will be pleased if you send me your autographed photo. I hope you will not discourage me. Wishing you a greater success in the space conquest—and in your life, too
Your Sincerely
Atler Hussain Akbari
Karachi, West Pakistan
“NOW WE HOPE TO GET AN ANSWER FROM YOU TOO”
September 8, 1970
To “The Moon Man”
Dear Mr. Neil Armstrong,
This letter comes from a schoolclass in a little village in far away Sweden. We have of corse been talking about You and even seen films from the moonlanding. We have been wondering if You ever on Your spacetrips have been passing over Scandinavia. But our teacher has told us that Your routes around the world does not touch these parts of the earth. Is that correct?
You must feel honoured Mr Armstrong that we write to You. We have during a couple of years written to many of the most well-known men and women in the world. By this time we have quite a collection of letters and photoes from most kings, queens and presidents in the world—among others from Your own president Richard Nixon.
Now we hope to get an answer from You too—that would be a valuable “number” in our collection. But please do not send only a picture wothout any message at all!
With greetings and hope for at great future for USA in the space.
Class 6, Hallsta School
Eskilstuna, Sweden
Through their teacher Hans Forslund
“SPACE TRAVEL HAS A FASCINATION FOR ME”
September 22, 1970
Dear Neil,
Although I know you very well, you don’t know me so to put you in the picture I am a fifteen year old schoolboy who lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This city of ours has been in the news recently but for a reason of which I’m not very proud. On the 21st of July as you well know, you achieved probably the greatest feat of all time—you landed and walked on the moon. On the moon at this moment are the words, “We came in peace for all mankind.” I hope people from all over the world will stop and think about this and benefit from what you have achieved.
I am very interested in astronautics and hope to make a career of it working for N.A.S.A. as an engineer. If you could only see my room, and I hope you will one day if you should ever come to Belfast, you would find the whole place covered with every scrap of photographs and data that I could possibly gather on space (and mind you it isn’t easy to get this stuff in a city like Belfast). Space travel has a fascination for me. The benefits that can be obtained for the good of man are as limitless as the boundaries of space itself as I’m sure you realize.
Through you I wish to thank—Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Walter Schirra, Gordon Cooper, John Young, James MacDivitt, Charles Conrad, Frank Borman, Thomas Stafford, David Scott, Eugene Cernan, Richard Gordon, Don Eisele, Walter Cunningham, William Anders, Russell Schweickart, and Al Bean. But most of all I praise the crew of the ill-fated Apollo 6 which was a tragic loss to every one. I also want to praise James Lovell, John Swigert and Fred Haize for their tremendous courage and determination when all seemed to be lost during Apollo which instead of a failure turned out to be a magnificent triumph for N.A.S.A., America, and indeed the whole world.
The three remaining people to praise are yourself, Buzz Aldrin and one who deserves special praise for unfortunately being one of the few people in the world not to have been glued to a T.V. on that Monday morning, and yet being nearer to the heroes of the day than anyone else.
I hope you will send me some sort of reply to this letter. If you could it would encourage me more and more towards the exploration of our galaxy when I am older. There will always be an open invitation in our house for you or any of your companions.
Hoping this will reach you.
Carl D. Murray
Belfast, Northern Ireland
September 1970—the month Carl D. Murray wrote his letter to Neil Armstrong—was an especially difficult and tragic month for everyone living in Belfast and all of Northern Ireland. It was an especially violent stretch of time in the Troubles, the sectarian (Protestant vs. Catholic), ethnic, and political conflict that plagued Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.
“I WANT YOU TO BE MY FRIEND FOR EVER”
September 23, 1970
DEAR ARMSTRONG,
Thank you very much for being the first man to step foot on the moon. I have wrote you a letter, but I don’t know whether you receive it or not. Please I am begging a free air ticket from you, because I always heard of your name and I always heard of America, but I don’t know what is there that is why I am begging a free air ticket so that I can come to you in America. Secondly I want to know your proper adress in America. I am a boy of (15) fifteen years old and I am attending my first year in Latri Kunda School. I want you to be my friend for ever, and I shall always keep on writing to you if I know your number. I am looking forward to your reply.
Regards to Micheal Collins And Aldrine.
Yours faithfull friend
Kebba Touray
Latri Kunda Junior Secondary School
The Gambia
West Africa
“WE MADE OUR OWN COSTUMES OF ASTRONAUTS”
October 14, 1970
Dear Sir,
I wish you a very healthy and happy 40th birthday. I didn’t write to you straight after your great achievement of men walking on the lunar surface for the first time. For I knew lots of people were writing letters of congratulation to you and got the same typewritten letter as everyone else only addressed to a different person. My brother Jonathon (6 years old) and I Garry (10 on August 5th) were so impressed and interested that we made our own costumes of astronauts out of our judo outfit. (In this letter I am enclosing a photograph of us in our costume.) I shall never forget you because our birthdays are on the same date.
Yours sincerely
Jonathon and Gary Glonek
Somerton Park
South Australia, Australia
With the letter came a color snapshot of the two brothers in their “space suits.”
“PLEASE CAN I HAVE THE TOP BIT OF THE APOLLO”
October 28, 1970
Dear mr. armestrong
please can I have the top bit of the apollo be cos I want to make a car. I have a sparking plug all ready
thank you
Essex, England
“PLEASE ACCEPT MY MOST ARDENT THANKS
AND MY COMPLETE ADMIRATION”
[Translated from French at NASA Headquarters]
October 29, 1970
Dear Mr. Neil Armstrong,
My reason for writing you is because I am very interested in astronomy, but unfortunately I am a girl. I do not see any later opportunity in studying space. That is why, since I admire you a great deal, I hope that you will not find my request preposterous, namely to be kind enough to send my a photograph signed by you.
Thanks in advance. I live in a small village in the South of France. I am 13 years old, in first year high, and come from a working family. Please accept my most ardent thanks and my complete admiration.
Your friend,
Miss Luce Sanchez
Fabrègues, France
“EXCUSE MY VERY BAD LANGUAGE (I’M FRENCH)”
November 6, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I allow me to write you because I estimate and maintain your undertaking and your program.
On radio I follow your prowess (?) which are the result of the courage of a whole team.
I have a record which relate the first lunar landing and photos take in books. But I think it isn’t enough.
Allow me to ask you something which is worthless for you, but genuine. It will be for me a very beautifully present for Christmas: I think for example of a photo of the moon, or something which has got on the moon and which is worthless for you: a small peace of paper or what you whant.
I tell you the less thing will be to me a great satisfaction and I thank you.
If it isn’t possible for you to send me something, I will not be angry. I understand it is perhaps impossible for you. I thank you for all my heart.
Excuse my very bad language (I’m french).
I beg to remain dear Sir yours respectfully.
M. Cognard Michel
Paray-le-Monial, France
N.B. If I can have autographs of Mrs Charles Conrad, Richard Gordon, Alan Bean and Edwin Aldrin, I will be very very happy. Thank you very much.
“THE NIGHT OF THE LANDING, WE DIDN’T GO TO BED AT ALL”
November 28, 1970
Dear Neil Armstrong!
I hope you will have time to read this letter, that is, if it ever reaches you.
My son (than 13 years old) and I followed your flight and landing on the moon, and safe return, from the beginning to the end.
The night of the landing, we didn’t go to bed at all, between praying, laughing, hoping, and tears of relieve, we were with you every minute, that is with you, and your comrades, as I am sure you all depended on one another, and oh how I admiered your family. At first we were going to write to you at once, but then we said “no, he’ll have so much to do, interviews, settling with the family, we’ll leave it for a year, and maybe Mr. Armstrong will have time for us.”—Because, you see, we have a great request to make to you, and we hope you can fullfill it.
We would like so very much, for you, to write down the words you said when stepping on to the moon, and sign it. Could you please do this. We promisse most sincerely not to show it off, and get you bogged down with requests.
Believe me, you would make my son very happy and proud, and he does deserve a little joy, as he has been a tower of strength to me, since his Dad died two years ago; We wish you all the happyness in the world, and send you our
Sincere regards.
Yours very sincerely
Mrs. Margaret (and Michael) Jennings
Blacon Chester, England
Do your children collect stamps? We could send them some British and German stamps.
Reply from S. B. Weber
December 10, 1970
Dear Mrs. Jennings:
Thank you for your most kind letter to Mr. Armstrong. He is always pleased to hear from friends throughout the world who “lived through those hours” of the lunar landing mission with the Apollo 11 crew. Unfortunately, because of his heavy schedule of activities with NASA, he is unable to personally respond to each letter he receives.
We are enclosing an autographed picture of Mr. Armstrong which we hope you will enjoy.
Sincerely,
S. B. Weber
“YOU ARE PRACTICALLY THE ONLY PERSON
THAT TAKES ME SERIOUSLY”
November 28, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I am the girl that drew that sketch of you.
When I received your letter I was so excited that when I went to bed I didn’t fall asleep for two hours.
A few days later I also received some photographs of the Apollo 11 mission, including “mission reports” of Apollo’s 11, 12 & 13. If you asked NASA to send them, I am eternally grateful. You don’t know how much I appreciated them.
You are practically the only person that takes me seriously, and understands how I feel. Whenever I read books on space flights everyone asks me if I want to be an astronaut. What can I say but, yes.
The “Mission Reports” are very interesting. As I was reading them I discovered some things which I didn’t find out as I was watching the flight on television. They are very informative.
If you would like, I will send you my version of interplanetary flight. What’s strange about it is that it makes sense.
I was very happy when I received your picture. Thank you for everything.
Yours truly,
Kathy Boeskay
Winnipeg, Canada
“I HAD THE HONOR OF WELCOMING YOU
AS A GUEST IN OUR RESTAURANT”
November 30, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
On 28 July 1970, I had the honor of welcoming you as a guest in our restaurant, Restaurant Wollzeile.
Since we have photographs of all our prominent guests (30 x 40 cm), I would like very much if you could send us a photograph of approximately the same size with a dedication on the front. We hope that you will comply with our request and thank you in advance.
With the hope that we will meet again in Vienna, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
Sincerely,
Rudolf Blumauer
Vienna, Austria
Reply from S. B. Weber
February 1, 1971
Dear Mr. Blumauer:
Thank you for your kind letter of November 30 to Mr. Neil Armstrong. We regret the delay in responding but our mail has been very heavy in recent months, and we have not been able to reply as promptly as we would like.
Mr. Armstrong was not in Vienna on July 28, 1971, and, therefore, could not have visited your restaurant on that date. We have spent some time trying to determine if perhaps one of his colleagues had visited your restaurant and, consequently, been mistaken for Mr. Armstrong. A check with the other American astronauts, however, indicates that none of them were in Vienna on the date specified. We feel certain that someone must have misrepresented himself. Any clarification you might be able to provide would be appreciated.
We do appreciate your interest and extend our best wishes.
With kind regards,
Sincerely,
S. B. Weber
Neil did a lot of traveling in 1971 but none of it involved a stop in Vienna, the capital of Austria. One can only imagine how many times over the years that different men may have represented themselves as an American astronaut—even Neil Armstrong himself. There are other letters in the Armstrong Papers at Purdue like this one.
“EXPECTING MY ‘FIRST SOLO’ IN THE DAYS TO COME”
December 1, 1970
Dear Mr. Neil Armstrong,
I am just wondering to imagine the impressions of your face when you go through this letter sinse the writter of this letter is a twenty years old boy, who is just learnin about cumulous and cirrus and who try to handle the rudder and elevator of a small aircraft of a plane of the local flying club while the receiver of this letter is…..well. I need not tell you. You know who you are. Why? To tell is short is the last history of aviation which started on December 17th 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina down to the day when a man landed in the moon, who took off from Cape Kennedy never a man gained so famous a name. Why, you have even replaced Wrights.
I realy take pride that our country honoured you with F.A.I. gold medal for space for the year 1969 during your recent visit to my motherland “for your exceptional performance in space”.
I have just started flying though I possessed greater interest to become a pilot for the past 20 years. Only now I am going through clouds where as you got your license even at the age of 17 as I learnt from your biography which I went through many times with everlasting interest.
My instructor told me that he shooked hands with you though you may not be aware of his tugve (?). I definitely believe that one day I will meet you in the long future and will talk to you, and I got great hopes about my future with the only thought that even you would have learnt flying only from the experienced hands of an old instructor. Now not only in the atmosphere & elevation but also in social fame you have been to the higher levels and my sweet and hearty wishes for your prosperous life.
I will be immensly happy if you are kind enough to writte a personal reply to me along with a beautiful photo of yours by the side of a plane. I also want to know, what actually made you to think of becoming a pilot when you are a boy and also your brief opinion of my country that you would have gathered sinse you visited twice.
Expecting my ‘first solo’ in the days to come with the blessings of people like you for my safe landing!
Though you never speak, as I learnt, I have confidence even a minor thing like this letter will not fail to get your attention, if I am fortunate that this letter reaches your hands.
Counting the days when I will get your reply
Yours “affectionately”
M. Bharathi Ramanathan
Madras, India
“I NAMED HIM NEIL ALDRIN”
December 2, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong:
Enclosed please find three photos of my son’s first birthday celebrated the past July 27th.
As you can notice on the photos, everything is decorated with the APOLO 11.
The reason why I am sending you these photos is because my little son was born on July 27th 1969, and I promised myself two days before that date, on the 25th, when you reached the moon, that if everything went alright with you my son would be named after you; and so it happened; I named him NEIL ALDRIN, and when I took him to church to be baptized, I told the priest that his Holy name would be MICHAEL.
Since in a very special way I consider you his God Parents, I would apprecciate very much if you would kindly send me your photos (one of each of you) and please dedicate them to my son; I think this will make a very nice Christmas present.
Thanking you for your kind attention to this request and wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Olga Mayra Fiallo
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
With her letter Ms. Fiallo included four photographs from her son’s birthday party.
“JOIN ME ON A SAFARI IN AFRICA”
December 3, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I must confess that I am COMPLETELY confused as how to begin this letter to a man as important and World re-known as yourself.
This letter is merely an invitation to you to join me on a safari in Africa should you be able to do so, and at any time you care to do so.
I would like to emphasis before I go any further, that I am not extending this invitation for personal gain from the publicity that may come out it should you accept. In fact, should you so wish, I would do my utmost to make it a private and secret safari.
I am at present, visiting the United States, and I will shortly be returning to Rhodesia. Should you decide to accept this invitation, I would appreciate an early reply.
I would also like you to know that this is a genuine invitation, and I am not a “crack-pot” looking for publicity.
I have enclosed a business card of an associate at whose address I would appreciate you sending your reply.
Look forward to hearing from you,
Yours faithfully,
Richard Whyt
African Camping Safaris
Salisbury, Rhodesia
Personal reply from Neil
January 22, 1971
Mr. Richard Whyte
c/o Mr. Joe Kulis
Kastaway Kulis Taxidermy Studios
Bedford, Ohio
Dear Mr. Whyte:
Thank you for your kind letter of December 3, and please accept my apologies for the delayed response. I managed to take off a couple weeks during the holidays and, therefore, got behind in the correspondence department.
Your invitation to join you on a safari is most appealing; I’m sure it would be a novel experience. It was particularly thoughtful of you to offer anonymity to me in the event I should be able to accept. Unfortunately, my heavy schedule of activities with NASA precludes my scheduling personal pleasures very far in advance.
I will keep your invitation in mind, however; and, should the opportunity for some time of my very own while in the vicinity of Rhodesia present itself, I will get in touch with you. I don’t mean to sound optimistic, however, as my new duties have been rather demanding the past few months; and there is no indication that the situation will change any time in the near future.
Best wishes for a pleasant and rewarding 1971.
Sincerely,
Neil A. Armstrong
Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics
Office of Advanced Research and Technology
NASA Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
“WHEN YOU LANDED, WE HAD NATIVE
DANCING, AND WE ALL CELEBRATED”
December 17, 1970
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
First I would like to introduce myself. I am an 18 year old, and am from a country that you may not have heard much about, but what you may have seen when you were up in Space. It is Papua-New Guinea.
I cannot describe to you the night you and the other men were landing on the moon. All of us waited on the beaches and in our villages listening to the radios. When you landed, we had native dancing, and we all celebrated. Then some of the small children said they could “see you” walking around. Do you think that you would be able to send me a photograph of Mr. Collins, Mr. Aldrin and yourself? Also would you please sign your names on it for me? When I receive it, I would like to show all the boys in our village. They admire you all as of your courage, as it was something others had not done before and you men faced it up.
I hope that I may hear from you and it would make me very proud. Would you also be able to say hello to your familiy for me, and I wish them a Merry Xmas.
I hope that oneday you may all have a tour here to Rabaul, to visit us all.
Wishing you all a Merry Xmas and A Happy New Year. Please write oneday before you go to the moon again.
Yours sincerely,
John C. Goad (Jnr.)
Rabaul, New Britain Island
Papua New Guinea
Reply from S. B. Weber
January 27, 1971
Dear Mr. Goad:
Thank you for your kind letter to Mr. Neil Armstrong. He is always pleased to hear from friends throughout the world. Unfortunately, because of his heavy schedule of activities with NASA, Mr. Armstrong is unable to personally respond to each of the many letters he receives.
We are enclosing a crew picture with Mr. Armstrong’s autograph. However, we are unable to furnish the autographs of the other crew members as the three are no longer a team and are located at separate locations. You may send the picture to them at the following addresses, and I’m sure they will be glad to autograph it also:
The Honorable Michael Collins
Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs
Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
U.S.A.
Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, Code CB
Astronaut
NASA Manned Spacecraft Center
Houston, Texas 77058
U.S.A.
Best wishes and, again, thank you for your interest.
Sincerely,
S. B. Weber
“I KISS YOU!”
December 24, 1970
Dear, nice, beautiful spaceman Neil!
I should be very happy if you can send me one big photo 18 x 24 of yours and another little photo 7 x 10 to keep in my bill fold (please, with your dear dedication)
You are the most wonderful and pretty, nice spaceman of the United States!
I wish you happiness and to carry many days
Happy new Year for you my love!
I Kiss you
your young FAN
Linde Montello
Bolzano, Italy
“WILL YOU BE FRIENDS WITH ME BY MAIL”
January 3, 1971
Dear Mr. Armstrong.
My name is André and I am 11 years old. I adore space and everything which is conected with it. I also am writing a book about space, I wrote already 700 pages. When I am grownup I will be an astronaut like you Sir. Since you are the first man, wich landed an the moon, I would like to make friends with you. I would like to meet you in person but that’s not possible since I live in Brasil and you in the U.S.A. So I ask you, please will you be friends with me by mail. I would be so happy to have you as a friend.
Many thanks in advance for your attention:
Yours
André von Hebra
São Paulo, Brazil
“MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WERE ACCOMPANYING YOU”
January 6, 1971
My dear great hero Armstrong:
It is a wonderful occasion indeed to write this salutation to the world’s greatest hero, the first person to step on the surface of the moon, scoring a world event that has never happened before since the beginning of history. Man, that great explorer, and the first and only penetrator of the mysteries of the universe and space, has been able through his bright mind and brilliant thoughts to explore the planets and stars, and you are the very first person and hero to explore and penetrate those mysteries.
I admire your great heroism and courage, and, believe me, you were not alone in space. Millions of people were accompanying you with their hearts and souls while you were putting your foot on the ground of that white planet. The moment I saw you getting down from the module and stepping on the surface of the moon was the happiest and most pleasant moment of my life. My eyes had never seen such an enjoyable view.
I, a painter artist from Lebanon, wish to express my admiration of your accomplishment not only through the paintings I have made but also through the few lines of this letter which I am sending you with my heartfelt and most sincere regards and admiration.
I will be thankful if you could send me your autograph or any other souvenir from you.
Your artist admirer
George Haddad
Beirut, Lebanon
“SIR, I HAVE HEARD OF YOUR KINDNESS”
January 26, 1971
Dear Sir,
I have the respectful honour in writing you this my humble letter. But before I say a word I have to ask of you present condition of health. Sir, I have been hearing much about you and how I have been hearing people talking about you and your Company went on space to the moon and I am very happy to hear about the news. So please if you will be kindly send me one or two of your best photograph. Sir, I have heard of your kindness that is why I am writing you to send me your photograph, so that anytime I sees it I will be remembering you. So I will be very glad if you send it to me in time. I stop here greeting to you and your company.
Yours Truthly
Yahaya Issah
c/o Issah Yahaya Kpamahin-aa
Ghana
“WHY IT IS SAID THAT A THING CAN NEVER
HAVE A SPEED SAME AS LIGHT?”
July 1, 1971
Mr. Neil Armstrong:
Hello. I am an Iranian girl 16 years old. I am interested in the asterogical matters. So I have collected photoes and articles from this matter. I want to ask you to have corrosponding with you about these matters.
Of course you may be so busy that haven’t time to answer me, but I ask you to answer Just this letter of mine, and make me very happy.
Well, sometimes I face to something that Nobody can answer me, but you. These are my questions:
1. Why it is said that a thing can never have a speed same as light?
2. Why does the conection of a rocket off when it arrives in the atmosphere of the earth?
3. Why it is said if a rocket for example has a speed same as light if it spends two years in reaching to a planet when the airmen reach to that planet thousands years have past from the life of the earth?
4. What is the meaning of proof of material article?
Thank you
Yours affectionately:
Mina Honarkhah
Teheran, Iran
The Apollo 11 crew visited Tehran for three days on its Giant Step tour, arriving there on October 24 and departing on October 26, 1969. While there, Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins, along with their wives, had a private dinner with Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran, and his family. (Pahlavi was Iran’s last Shah, overthrown by the Iranian Revolution on February 11, 1979.) A photograph and film were taken of Neil showing a rocket model to the empress consort of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, and two of her children. The shah presented all three astronauts with awards and each of their wives also received a gift.
“WE WOULD LIKE TO OBTAIN THE
CITIZENSHIP OF THE MOON”
July 9, 1971
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
About four weeks ago we wrote to the American Embassy there inquiring about citizenship of the moon. We received a letter from the Secretary saying that they had no information on how to go about getting the citizenship of the moon, but they very kindly sent us a book on space, so we decided to write to you to see if you could help us.
We would like to obtain the citizenship of the moon for our younger brother, because his name is TRANQUILLO and he was eleven on July 20th 1969 when Apollo 11 landed on the Sea of Tranquillity. We read on a newspaper that a man named TRANQUILLO obtained the citizenship of the moon.
Well, as you see, there are three coincidences linking my brother with the landing of the Americans on the moon.
We would be most grateful to you if you could send us the Citizenship of the moon, if it is possible, as it would be a very nice and original present for his next birthday. It does not matter if it cannot be obtained, we shall still be grateful.
We thank you very much, Mr. Armstrong.
We remain your truly
Parma, Italy
“MY FATHER AND I HUGGED EACH OTHER IN DEEP EMOTION”
July 18, 1971
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I am taking the liberty of addressing you, I do so as a man, as a marine and as an admirer of the great deed achieved by you and your comrades in adventure—the conquest of the moon.
When the great deed occurred, I was home with my parents taking advantage of several days leave and, since television had not yet arrived, we only listened on the radio to all the details of that historic event. At that moment my father was the most enthusiastic because everything was a success. Unquestionably I as a keen admirer of the north american space programs, listened and hoped with deep faith that everything would turn out with no problem. That is the way it happened! My father and I hugged each other in deep emotion because a “north american” had been the first human being able to set foot on the lunar soil. This was the conquest of the moon, the wonderful star of the night which I admire. This deed also fulfilled the visionary words of Jules Verne, the peaceful wishes of Wernher von Braun of reaching it someday, and the precise vision of the unfortunate President John F. Kennedy.
Then came the happy return to earth, quarantine, return home, praise and a return to the world including the country named Chile. A little of the enthusiasm for reaching the moon was calmed, but the achievement was still crowned with real success; I was interested in listening to radio programs where there was always talk of the thrilling subject of the star and, more than that, I dedicated myself to the purchase of books which gave me a more objective and clear vision of what such a great event had been. But, the best thing was seeing the colored film where I seemed to go wondering through the vastness of the universe.
When I wrote to my friends that year I always mentioned the deed accomplished by you and your colleagues. On one of these occasions I wrote thus:
When on 31 December last the hands of the clocks marked 2400 hours, the end of one year and the beginning of another, we left behind a transcendant decade in the history of man and all humanity. Another decade, the decade of the 70’s, had also begun with it. It is also uncertain, but from future and unforeseeable eventualities throughout time there will be similar things in their unspeakable significance in the world of modern cosmology and in deed for the world of those who do not reason. For the genius of man nothing seems to escape the deep and marvelous field of science. I am lucky to have been born in a generation of men of such intellect who have been capable of transporting us beyond our imagination and to the vastness of the universe; we had been optical witnesses of the conquest of the moon by them.
Since the moon is second only to the sun as the most attention-getting star for men, it was evident that someday they should try to reach it … and they did! Exactly in 1969 was the year that man first walked upon that pale but romantic star of night. With this unimaginable event on 20 July began year 1 of the space era. In this way were opened the routes toward interplanetary flights, towards space stations and toward the conquest of the other stars located beyond distance and silence and sinking into the unknown. Later science will put other men to the test who will succeed in reaching that goal with as much courage and intelligence as the first.
But for that 20 July 1969 which will end another year in a few days, as you said, “It was a small step for man but a great jump for mankind.” For me, you and your companions it can be defined in this way: two heros immortalized in the field of science. Two men whose looks were lost in the indescribable image of the star will remain forever floating in the immensity of the moon and everything that was seen on that day will remain forever engraved on the retinas of the astronaut’s eager eyes.
Even at the beginning of time there were many men of science who, with their precarious means, were interested in the stars which surrounded them. But a great deal of time had to run out before other men of other generations were to become interested in the attractive subject of the milky way.
From the dawn of what today is cosmology, they were born for science: Pythagoras, Democritus, Philolaus, Aristarcos of Samos, Hiparcus and others. All of them handed down valuable data, discoveries and inventions to the next generation of men called geniuses and even “fools” by their own countrymen. Beginning with the tenth century and running to 1548 in which it appeared: Copernicus, the great Galileo Galilei, Tycho Brahe, Kepler—who discovered the famous tables of Kepler—and with this the introduction of mechanics into astronomy, and thanks to the genius of Newton even universal gravitation was formulated by Kepler. Thus was founded and introduced celestial mechanics, a branch of astronomy. Beginning from that epoch, the science of the stars entered its modern phase. Since that time work has been increasing, both in the material subject and in physics. With the previous data, work, discoveries and inventions, scientifically interesting, notice was taken of the unsuspected evolution and development in which is found the obligatory subject of our day: the universe which surrounds us and the possibility of our current and future generations to explore and become acquainted with it all. The reality in all this is that we are living and experiencing the most amazing moments of the history of humanity … the exploration and conquest of interplanetary space. This is the reason for my effort and interest in writing to exalt the deed of the century and the brave space personalities, the work of genius of Wernher von Braun, the father of modern rocketry.
I know that you are familiar with this subject in a better form; I only wished to make known my ideas and thoughts on what all this meant to me with a brief summary of the subject and its history.
The main reason for this letter is to ask you to please send me a photograph taken from the lunar module sailing above the lunar space with the earth appearing in the background on the horizon. You can send it in the safest way possible or by Navy. My address is on the cover. Again my admiration for you and your comrades and for a desire for future success in the ambitious Apollo program which has become so famous throughout the world.
I would also like to send you a colored photograph of some section of this long and narrow land beneath the southern sky which is called Chile.
Sr. Roberto Perez
Valparaiso, Chile
October 4, 1971
Dear Sr. Perez:
Thank you for your very kind letter. The tributes paid the Apollo Program and the flight of Apollo 11 have been most gratifying and I appreciate your taking the time to add yours to the many others that my colleagues and I have received.
We hope your interest and enthusiastic support will continue as our activities in space exploration progress.
Sincerely,
Neil A. Armstrong
Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics
Office of Advanced Research and Technology
NASA
Washington, D.C.
“WHAT SORT OF MAN ARE YOU”
July 26, 1971
Mister Armstrong,
First, I congratulate you for your birthday, then I recongratulate you for your courage that you had had when your mission on the moon.
I am 15 years old, I am french and if I dare write to you, that is for the reason that I am one of yours admiraters. For a long time I hesitate to write this letter and today, I take my pencil and my courage for to ask you some questions.
In school (I was in 2 Technic) with the teachers, we spoke often of the space, and always with the sciences, physics and technology of construction teachers, we had made a bundle of papers but the times passed and we had not finished it, and now it rest many empty place in the book, then this is on this moment that you interfere.
There are:
1. What sort of man are you and what sort of things like you?
2. What impression had you feel when you had put yous feet on the moon?
3. To support the atmosphere who is on the moon what is the material whose are made the instruments who are rested on the astre? of steel? Mild, half-hard, hard steel? Of Alpase, of duralumin?
4. The pieces are casted or are labored with fashioning?
5. The newspapers said that the moon is a portion of the world who was before at the Pacific’s place, is it real?
6. On the moon, what sort of mines can we found?
Please can you send me a photography of you and your family and another lunar’s stones. I thank you very much for the derangment that I made to you but my bundle of papers will be (if you received my letter) grace to you full. I once more thank you.
Yours very truly, kisses to the littles children.
Sincerly
Dan Gosse
Casablanca, Morocco
“DEAR NIL ARMSTROG!!!”
August 1, 1971
Dear Nil ARMSTROG!!!
I am an Israely-boy. I heard a bout your journey to the moon with the spacship.
I fllow after the spacship with radio and T.V., and newspapers.
When you and Oldreen (forgive me if i wrote the nam bad) go out from the “Eagle” I was very happy and when you and your friend come to the Ehrth I was very happy
I don’t have time to writ more but I can say: It was a completely journey.
And now I want (if you can), send me your pictur and writ my nam and your signature on the pictur
Thank you very much!
and with many thanks!
SHOKRON Shalom (13 years old)
Dimona, Israel
“WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR MOST
THRILLING MOMENTS IN SPACE?”
August 3, 1971
Dear Mr. Armstrong:
I am writing to wish you a very Happy Birthday.
Last December, Mr. S. B. Weber sent me a photo of you which you had personally autographed for me. You dated the photograph Nov. 30, 1970 and he sent it Dec. 2, 1970. I want to thank you for personally autographing a photo for me. Until that time I had tried unsuccessfully to obtain your autograph for two years, well before Apollo 11. I am glad now to have it.
How did you get to be an astronaut? How did you hear about astronaut selections? When, where and by who were you told you had been selected as an astronaut? What was there about NASA and space travel that interested you?
Were there times either on Gemini 8 or Apollo 11 when it seemed you were in simulators rather than in space?
I have heard that some astronauts take their own cameras into space. Did you ever take any cameras of your own into space?
What did you find more exciting or nerve wracking—Gemini 8 and Agena tumbling in space or the final few minutes before lunar touchdown or lift-off?
I would like very much to obtain any materials from Gemini 8 if you could get a hold of any photos, press releases, and other written materials would be very nice to have.
What was the exact problem on Gemini 8 and why did it happen? I have some idea that it was a stuck thruster in the ON position but I’m not sure if that is correct or not.
I began my interest in NASA and manned space flight when I watched the flight of Gemini 3 on television. Since then I have become more and more interested in NASA and I want very much to work there—probably in the photography department. I hope someday to fufil that goal.
Did you photograph your first step onto the lunar surface? If so, I would like very much to obtain a copy of that photograph.
What do you consider your best and worst moments of being an astronaut?
What do you consider your most thrilling moments in space? And what was your worst?
Knowing that in all likelyhood you would never set foot on the Moon again, did you leave or bring back anything from Tranquility Base?
What did you find your best mode of travel on the Moon? Did you ever fall down at Tranquility Base?
I would welcome any information—photos and written materials—on the flight of Apollo 11. Such items as flight plans, press releases, press conference transcripts, press kits, lunar trajectory notes and so on would be extremely nice to have.
Who selected the names “Eagle” and “Columbia?” Did the CMP choose the name for the CM, and the LMP for the LM or did all three of you decide on the names? How long before the flight were they choosen?
I would like to have some information on the first words you spoke after putting your left foot on the surface of the Moon. No doubt you thought about what you would say before and during your flight to the Moon.
However, as I have listened to your words it seems to me that your final version of what you would say came as you actually said them. You paused, then said “That’s one small step for man,” paused again, then said “One giant leap for mankind.” Did you actually think of what you were going to say then or when actually did you decide on what you would say?
I suppose it is because I think so highly of NASA and its personnel that it bothers me when people criticize it. Naturally it is alright to criticize but people should attempt to find out more about it and the many achievements for the world as a whole that have come about from the NASA program. It also “bugs” me when people, including written NASA material, do not quote your first words exactly. Would you confirm for me, that your first words on the Moon were: “That’s One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind.” Time and again I have heard and read “for a man.” It not only is inaccurate but takes away the strength of your statement. Does it ever bother you that you are not always quoted correctly?
I think your first words were excellent, but have you ever wished you had said something different?
Do you now live in Washington? Why did you not stay in Houston? At the NASA Headquarters in Washington, what is your title and what are some of your duties? I would like to obtain transcripts of speeches that you have made. All if possible.
If you could obtain any photos that have been screened and failed from your flight or others, I would like very much to obtain them. I understand that one copy is made from each negative. The photo is studied and either passed or failed. Those failed are either given away or disposed of in some other manner. Is this correct? If these photos can be obtained on Kodak paper that would be fantastic.
I have written you a very long letter and I know you are very busy. I would appreciate your replying to my letter but when you do it, do it at your convenience. I don’t care if it takes six months or longer but I sure would appreciate your replying to my letter. If you prefer, answer by handwriting rather than typed. It is always nicer to have something hand written but it also takes longer to do.
Two final and very important requests.
I would appreciate it very much if I could obtain from you an Apollo 11 flight patch. On July 16, I was extremely elated to receive an Apollo 15 patch from Jim Irwin. I couldn’t believe it! I have one other patch, that from Apollo 10. After writing to NASA for the past 2½–3 years, I know that flight patches are not normally given out to those people who are not NASA personnel. I am extremely proud to have obtained these patches and am hoping I can add yours to it.
I guess you probably took a couple of hundred photos during the mission of Apollo 11. I would appreciate it if you would choose your favorite photos from Apollo 11 and put on that photo your first words as you stepped onto the surface of the Moon. Thank you so very much.
I hope you have a very Happy Birthday and all the best. Enclosed you will find some items on my province’s Centennial.
British Columbia entered Confederation on July 20, 1871. July 20 is a very popular date when it comes to history! I hope you and your family will find some enjoyment from these items.
If this arrives late I apologize. I have been busy watching the flight of Apollo 15. That Gemini 8 crew sure made up for it!
Thank you very much for taking the time and the trouble to read and answer my letter. I sincerely appreciate your efforts.
Yours sincerely,
Trudy Hopkins (Miss)
Penticton, British Columbia
Canada
Reply from S. B. Weber to Miss Hopkins’s letter received in November 1970
December 2, 1970
Dear Trudy:
Thank you for your recent letter to Mr. Armstrong. He is always pleased to hear from young people with a keen interest in our space program. Unfortunately, because of his heavy schedule of activities with NASA, he is unable to personally respond to each letter he receives.
We are enclosing a “Log of Apollo 11,” which contains the answers to your many questions and some of the photographs taken during the historic lunar landing. Should you wish to order additional pictures, you may order those of your choice from the U.S. Government Printing Office at nominal cost as indicated in the attached brochure entitled “Man and Space.”
Mr. Armstrong has autographed a picture for you which we are also including.
Best wishes and, again, thank you for writing.
Sincerely,
S. B. Weber
“TAKE JAMES BURKE FROM BBC-TV ALONG WITH YOU”
August 11, 1971
Dear Neil
I feel I must write to congratulate you and your colleagues on the fabulous success of Apollo 15. You will probably receive many such letters, but over the last few years I have followed so many of your unbelievable flights that I feel I must write to at least thank you all for bringing a great deal of excitement into my dull little life!
It was the Apollo 8 flight that really got me “hooked.” To be quite honest, if it hadn’t been Christmas, & being Christmas over here, there is nothing else to do but watch TV, I would probably never have got better. Since then I have been plastered to the TV for each of the succeeding flights. Each brought its own particular problem for me. Trying to figure out if I’d have to get up in the middle of the night, playing sick in order to get off work to watch moon walks, & making a mad dash to get home in time to see launches, splashdowns, or whatever. For the lift off from the moon last week I think I created a world record on my own. It’s normally a good 20 minutes walk home at night, last morning I made it in just over 10 minutes. It’s uphill all the way too, I hardly had strength to switch on the TV. I sort of collapsed in a heap on the couch. I had been thinking of trying to wargle the day off work, but as I’d been taken suddenly ‘ill’ the previous Monday in order to watch the launch from Cape Kennedy I didn’t think I’d better. It’s perhaps as well that there are only two more Apollo flights. I am fast running out of excuses for taking days off, & sooner or later my boss is going to come to the conclusion that it’s strange that I’m ill every time there’s a moon landing. I don’t know what I shall turn my interest to when all Apollo flights are over though. As I said, they bring a little excitement into my dull little life. Believe me my friends & I at work are planning our annual trip to Liverpool with as much care & detail as you must plan your moon landings. We go every year just for a day, but although your moon landings usually go as planned, our day trip to Liverpool always goes haywire the minute we set off. There’s usually four hours of torture on the boat going & returning on the toughest sea possible & it usually pours with rain too.
I know you will think this a heck of a request, but over the last two or three years, I have grown rather fond of you fabulous men. Could you possibly send me a photograph of each of the Apollo crews? It must sound very greedy but I think you are all so great. You’re all so cool & calm about it all.
Oh, one small favour, would you please make Apollo 16 large enough to take four men & then you can take James Burke from BBC-TV along with you. He is the only thing that spoils the moon landings, he’s so busy nattering away it’s impossible to hear what’s being said between the spacecraft & Houston. He nearly drives me insane, so if you could possibly take him with you next time & leave him there, I would be forever in your debt!
Yours sincerely,
Denise Kay
Isle of Man, British Isles
[Unspecified date, September 1971]
I would like some comppany.
I want you to come over to My Place. For over night. Bring your clothes too. Becuase I want to Lean about space.
Love
Brent
Brent Buhler
Calgary, Alta.
Canada
Reply from Geneva Barnes
September 28, 1971
Dear Brent:
Mr. Armstrong has asked me to thank you for your note inviting him to visit you. He receives many similar invitations and I’m sure you understand that he is unable to accept because of the demands on his time.
We are enclosing an autographed picture of Mr. Armstrong which we hope you will enjoy.
Sincerely,
(Mrs.) Geneva Barnes
Secretary to Mr. Armstrong
“DIDN’T YOU THINK TO STOP WITH THIS MOON-FLIGHT”
November 8, 1971
Dear Mr. Neil Armstrong,
Here’s a letter from a boy, who interests Space Travel very much. Excuse me, my name is Karel Mras and I live in Heerlen.
I’ll ask you some questions. I hope you are not angry, because I wrote you, without asking before.
It a only a few questions, because I now you have not much time.
First question:
1. Mr. Neil Armstrong, where do you really live.
2. How do you feel as first man on the moon.
3. Neil, In 1966, you wernt for the first time in Space. What was the real reason for a landing in the ocean unexpected.
4. Could you explain in a few words, how it is to be in Space with two men during a few days.
5. The name “Eagle” who found it out. Micheal Collins, Edwin Aldrin, or yourself.
6. Your flight was very interessant and now I will ask you, how do You really think about Space-Travel.
7. Did the Landing in the ocean, came hard or soft.
8. Was it your opinion to be a flyer.
9. In May 1968 you risked your life by training. Didn’t you think to stop with this moon-flight.
10. Mr. Neil Armstrong, what are you going to do in the future?
Mr. Neil Armstrong, I hope you can read and understand what I write. My english isn’t so good as you may be expect. But I hope I get an answer on the questions, Mr. Armstrong.
Thank you in advance
Karel Mras
Heerlen, Holland
“CERTAINLY, YOU’RE ASTONISHED GETTING THIS LETTER”
December 12, 1971
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
Certainly, you’re astonished getting this letter in your hands. Where did it come from? Well, from Zaïre, and written by a young student of T.T.C. I’m studying at Luma, in the North East of our country. My language is french but I’ll try to explain me in English.
I wrote you this letter to ask you, if possible, will you explain me the meaning this initial of your company: N.A.S.A.?
I’m very excited to learn it because on all your clothes, engines and pictures, and I’m reading it without knowing.
Will you help me, Mr. Armstrong?
With all my school-fellows, hoping for an answer, I send you our best greetings.
Will remember us to your family.
Yours faithfully,
Jean Pierre Abdala
Ana, Uganda
Reply from Geneva Barnes, Neil’s secretary
June 30, 1972
Dear Sir:
Mr. Armstrong has asked me to thank you for your letter and the kind sentiments expressed therein. He is always pleased to hear from those who are interested in the space program and would like to reply personally to all. However, I’m sure you realize this is not possible because of the demands on his time.
I apologize for the delay in answering, but our volume of mail is very heavy and we are not able to reply as promptly as we would like. To answer your specific question: the letters NASA stand for National Aeronautics and Space Administration; this is the agency of the United States Government charged with carrying out the stated policy of the United States that “activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.” There is enclosed a brochure on NASA which explains its functions and responsibilities. We are also enclosing an autographed picture of Mr. Armstrong and some information which we hope you will enjoy and which will answer many of your questions.
Best wishes for a rewarding school year.
Sincerely,
(Mrs.) Geneva Barnes
Secretary to Mr. Armstrong
“WE ARE AWAITING THE BLAST OFF
TOMORROW OF APOLLO 16”
April 15, 1972
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I feel I must write to thank you very, very much for sending me, through my mother, a signed photograph of yourself. I have followed the American space programme for many years now but, without doubt, the most thrilling experience I have ever had was the Apollo 11 moon landing. However, each mission has had its own character and thrills and credit is due to all participants in the U. S. space effort. We in England have been provided with excellent T.V. and press coverage of all the major events in the space “callender.”
I have, over the years, bought countless magazines, newspapers and books on astronomy, rocketry, the moon and of course the U. S. space programme. I am particularly pleased & proud to be named Neil in common with yourself, the first man on the Moon. My ambition is one day to visit the Kennedy Space Centre and see for myself a manned space launch. My wish is that the U. S. Government will be benevolent and generous to the Space endeavor in order that further projects may be undertaken. It must be very worrying to think that money is getting short or that the efforts of so many people may go unrewarded in terms of future missions and developments.—Mankind has a great deal to thank you personally for in proving that man can leave his own planet and venture into space and the unknown. Your great courage and personality will be forever cherished by both the present and future generations.
At the time of writing we are awaiting the blast off tomorrow of Apollo 16 and I would like to take the opportunity of wishing Astronauts Young, Duke and Mattingly God’s speed for a successful mission and a safe return to Mother Earth.
The future of mankind I believe lies in Man’s conquering space and without doubt future space missions will capture the imagination of millions of people the world over—my dearest wish is that the people of the earth will, through the experience of manned space exploration, realise that we are but a small speck in the universe and that the troubles of the world may not be so great and insoluble as are feared at present.
Thank you once again for your personal interest and kindness and I hope that one day, somehow I may meet you in person.
Yours admiringly,
Neil S. Dearnley
Leeds
Yorkshire
England
“YOUR EXPLOIT WAS EXTRAORDINARY AND WONDERFUL”
December 16, 1972
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
I have the pleasure to write to you. I haven’t been early since Apollo XI. My name is Françoise Contant. I’m a french girl. I’m 15 years old.
First, I want to congratulate you very much. Your exploit was extraordinary and wonderful. It made a lot of hearts beat. But now, the enthusiasm disapears. Why? Because, it’s the routine! It isn’t a good reason I think. The poor last were almost alone on the moon, while you were followed by thousands of burning eyes. For looking at them, I was in a sultry room of a boarding-school and I envied them. Gazing on the impression of one of the men’s foot, slight and at the same time boundless human memory, I was more than moved.
Allow me to ask your impression when you were on the moon, and after when you have seen other men on it.
And can you send me your photograph with Collins and Aldrin.
Yours respectfully,
Françoise Contant
Fours, France
Happy Christmas for you and your family.
“THE DISTILLERY HAS DONE YOU GREAT JUSTICE”
May 11, 1973
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
On a recent trip through a local market place here in Tehran I came upon an item which you may find amusing should you not have known of it before.
It was a genuine bottle of Neil Armstrong Brand vodka. Enclosed is the label I soaked off the bottle after personally soaking up its contents. Feel proud, Mr. Armstrong, the distillery has done you great justice in the manufacture of this fine spirit.
It was one of my grandest moments to sit in my own living room and vicariously relive your first historic steps on the Lunar Surface. Actually, I think it was my first historic steps on my own Lunar Coffee Table also (simulated weightlessness being achieved on my Lunar Sofa).
Yours Truly,
Henry Giamella
Iran Aircraft Industries
Tehran, Iran
