Photos from the Vault

Second man on the Moon

July 20, 1969

Californians are often laid back about time. What is the big deal about being 20 minutes late? It won’t cost you a place in the history books.

Unless you are the second man to walk on the moon.

What was his name?

Sure Neil Armstrong was the first but who was the second?

To be fair there was no debate in the lunar lander over who would go first. Armstrong was designated the honor in April.

The second man on the moon has what could be the best ever astronaut nickname, Buzz. Wikipedia says the nickname came from his sister. Take the information with a grain of salt,  the reader edited encyclopedia also says he died the day before appearing at the White House with President Obama.

My guess is Pixar had Buzz Aldrin in mind when they created Buzz Lightyear.

The landing was not an easy one. The Sea of Tranquility was covered with large boulders that could damage the lunar lander, the alloted landing fuel was below 6% when Neil Armstrong landed. Michael Collins had the most lonely job in the universe, orbiting the moon alone in the command module while Armstrong and Aldrin had their images beamed all over the world walking on the moon.

Aldrin has remarked in interviews that everyone remembers where they were during the first moon landing and they share their stories when he makes appearances.

We watched the landing and later the first steps on a black and white television, then our family went outside to look up at the moon in the night sky over Riverside. We used binoculars to gaze up at the Earth’s natural satellite with new curiosity and wonder.

Unreported at the time, Aldrin, a devout Presbyterian Christian, had communion on the moon from a kit prepared by his pastor.

Upon his return Aldrin found life on Earth more difficult. He battled alcohol abuse and depression before finding his way again. He documents his life in the biography Magnificent Desolation.

The then Telegram-Tribune took the odd course of opting to use a simulation photo as the lead on the front page. It was sharper than the historic but fuzzy television images available at deadline.

In other news, Senator Ted Kennedy was being charged with leaving the scene of the accident that took the life of death of Mary Jo Kopechne. The year was filled with turbulent and often tragic stories from Viet Nam to the culture wars. The moon landing was one of the few stories that was able to transcend our Earthly tribulations.

Other newpapers are blogging about the historic landing 40 years ago. I will add links as they come in.

Minneapolis Tribune: Two U.S. Astronauts Walk on the Moon After Piloting Craft to a Smooth Landing

 The Daily Mirror: Apollo’s Unseen Titan

Tales from the Morgue (Arizona Star): Tucsonans watched as the Eagle landed on the moon

Bayou City History: Apollo 11: What other bloggers are saying

Tales from the Morgue (El Paso Times): Las Crucen recalls role in U.S. lunar missions