Where Were You?

Remember July 21, 2020? That is today. The date of July 21 almost slipped by me without my noticing its importance. Remember July 21, 1969? Where were you? I distinctly remember that morning, sitting in my living room in our apartment in Atlanta, GA, on a pulled out sofa bed (we had company at the time who had slept on the sofa bed) watching an astronaut walk on the moon. Or at least I thought I was watching a man walk on the moon. Yes, it was 51 years ago today. Where were you?

July 21, 1969, was about three weeks before our first child was born. It was hot in Atlanta that day. I was hot-had been all summer. Nancy and Gary were visiting us from Chattanooga, TN, and I think the guys had gone out to play golf. The moon landing had actually occurred the night before, but we were glued to the TV that morning. By some miracle of technology, we were watching a delayed broadcast of the moon walk. How we were seeing it was as much of a miracle as the moon landing itself.

If space travel and NASA interests you, Check out some of the books listed below:

One Giant Leap, Charles Fishman

The entire story of the space crew, the guys behind the scenes and the political implications of one of America’s greatest accomplishments.

Into the Black, Rowland White

A look inside the maiden flight of the space shuttle Columbia.

First Man, James R. Hansen

A fascinating biography of the life of Neil Armstrong

Failure Is Not an Option, Gene Kranz

Stories from the first days of the Mercury program through Apollo 11 and Apollo 13, from the person who was the flight director of both missions.

Sally Ride, Lynn Sherr

Inspiring biography of Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space.

Infinite Worlds, Michael Soluri

A retelling in photographs and essays of the saving of the Hubble Space Telescope.

6 thoughts on “Where Were You?

  1. I remember it well. Was in Jacksonville FL visiting a friend . Her father was second in command at the naval base there. We were all glued to the tv watching in real time. Very exciting to me as my father was a “ rocket scientist “, literally and I grew up around rockets!!!

  2. I was at Camp Blue Diamond which is a Brethren church camp in PA. I remember sitting in front of a large black and white TV and scratching my mosquito bites until my legs bled. I’ve shared this w/ a few friends and asked them for their memory. One was at Neskowin Beach in Oregon. All the kids gathered at the only cabin at the time that had a TV. Another friend was in a car listening on the radio. She lived in Newport, RI at the time. Fun memories from 51 years ago.

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