50 Years ago
By Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23393)
United Kingdom
July 16, 2019 3:51pm CST
50 years ago today Apollo 11 took off from Cape Canaveral Florida on a mission to the moon. I remember this so well as if it were just recently. I was still a 9 year old school boy when the mission blasted towards the moon. Two days later they actually put foot on the moon.
I remember it so vividly. My mother had sent me on an errand to one of her friends. I gave them the note and they asked me to come in while they wrote a reply. The television was on. It was a colour television the first time I had ever seen a colour television. I think my mouth hit my foot I stood there watching in disbelief. Everything appeared to look purple/mauve coloured such was the poor quality of colour televisions back then.
They had finished writing the note to take back but I was glued to the television they eventually pushed me out of the house. I ran home double quick all excited about seeing the moon landing and it was in colour. Ashamedly I nagged and nagged and nagged my parents to get a colour television which they eventually did. It was amazing to have a colour television rather than the old fashioned black and white box television.
I will always remember this time as it was uniquely a once in a life time event. This brave men did not know if they would come back to earth. Thankfully they did. I saw a piece of moon rock in the Smithsonian museum in Washington and the capsule, space suits to think that I would have actually seen them in real life as a boy would have been hard to imagine.
I hope that special day will be remembered for many more years to come.
Tonight there will be a partial lunar eclipse which may be visible in the night sky from around midnight. A blood moon. I intend staying up to watch it if I can and h skies remain clear.
Do you remember the moon landing mission?
44 people like this
47 responses
@Tampa_girl7 (49005)
• United States
17 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 I was around 12 before we had our first color television. It was a 13 inch screen.
5 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
It certainly was exciting for me too Janet. We only had black and white television too!
8 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
@Tampa_girl7 I used to turn the channel over whilst looking my father in the eye. Oh lord it is a wonder I actually reached adulthood!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
I think you were perhaps too young! 
3 people like this
@CarolDM (203452)
• Nashville, Tennessee
16 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 That is what I was trying to say in a round about way. 
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
@CarolDM I said it for you! LOL You are still young and lovely not an 'old codger' (According to @Gillygirl )like me!
4 people like this
@dodo19 (47082)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
17 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 lol. Well you were right. I wasn't old enough.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
Haha I did not think you would be old enough!
3 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (49005)
• United States
16 Jul 19
Yes, I too remember it vividly. I was living in Tampa, Florida and we went outside to watch them takeoff.
4 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (49005)
• United States
16 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 I do remember it very well. It was exciting. My dad was in Vietnam and we were living with my grandparents.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
OH my Goodness how lucky was that! OH Marie a once in a lifetime experience I bet you remember it with grea pride!
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
18 Jul 19
Uhm
... you're giving your age away, Gary
... (I like to think everyone I enjoy on myLot are my exact age. When someone says something that lets me know/remember that we all aren't the same age, I get a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. 
)
I don't remember this day in history, although I have read numerous accounts of that day online and in old newspapers from that time. (Do you ever read the things written by people who claim the moon landing(s) are/were a hoax? I am not into conspiracy theorists and frequently make those people mad enough to block me on myLot! I can't help "teasing" them about their beliefs. I think I do it in a funny way... they never laugh, though. 
)
While I can't remember the original mission to land on the moon, I can vaguely remember the second landing and all the excitement surrounding it.
I see even @Gillygirl gave away her true age, too, even though I have known she is a hot, older lady before this! 
Edit to add: Somehow my last sentence doesn't scan right to me... and I don't mean Gillian is too warm! 
... you're giving your age away, Gary... (I like to think everyone I enjoy on myLot are my exact age. When someone says something that lets me know/remember that we all aren't the same age, I get a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. )
I don't remember this day in history, although I have read numerous accounts of that day online and in old newspapers from that time. (Do you ever read the things written by people who claim the moon landing(s) are/were a hoax? I am not into conspiracy theorists and frequently make those people mad enough to block me on myLot! I can't help "teasing" them about their beliefs. I think I do it in a funny way... they never laugh, though. )
While I can't remember the original mission to land on the moon, I can vaguely remember the second landing and all the excitement surrounding it.
I see even @Gillygirl gave away her true age, too, even though I have known she is a hot, older lady before this!
Edit to add: Somehow my last sentence doesn't scan right to me... and I don't mean Gillian is too warm! 4 people like this
@vandana7 (98830)
• India
28 Jul 19
@Gillygirl He is flirting as usual... these guys will never grow up. Would they? I wonder if Americans continue to flirt even when they are plastered from head to toe ..
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
Hahaha oh yes @Gillygirl is a right little hottie. It is because she feels the heat down here in the South of England rather than the chilly Gilly North of the country. She believes she is living in the tropics. Be careful I am not quite sure if Gilly has been fed this morning she might take a chunk out of your leg.
I rarely give conspiracy theorists the time of day. Why they need to be so negative about things as opposed to being positive and giving some credit to those who took part in it. Same goes about the 9/11 attacks for heaven's sake.
3 people like this
@just4him (306354)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
17 Jul 19
I remember it vividly, but you're off on the day it landed by two days. They landed on July 20, not the 18th. We were on a family reunion camping trip at my Grandma's in southern Wisconsin. They lived on a lake and there were cabins around the lake for my aunts and uncles to rent while my parents' tent camped in Grandma and Grandpa's yard. As soon as we arrived, we all went to Uncle Sonny's cabin and huddled around the TV and watched the landing.
I was only upset about one thing. They landed the day AFTER my birthday. Otherwise, I was glued to the TV, a small black and white and the only time anyone watched TV during that family reunion.
It truly was a day to remember. I was 16. Now, I know how old I was back then.
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
No Valerie I mentioned the launch and the actually landing two days later. Shame it missed your birthday but Gilly was a lucky lady actually landing on her birthday. How excited we all were back then. I guess something as significant as that, history in the making and we all felt very much a part of it. Happy birthday for yesterday I hope you had a wonderful day!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
17 Jul 19
We had color TV, I think. I was fifteen years old. I was not at home but baby sitting and did not have the television on. I remember it, though. I probably saw it on the evening news.
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
I wonder if girls were as in awe of it as much as boys?
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36442)
• Toccoa, Georgia
17 Jul 19
I was 5 years old. I will never forget my Mom calling me over to our black and white TV to see the Moon landing and Neal Armstrong being the first human to put his foot on the Moon. It is one of my earliest TV remembrances.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
It was amazing wasn't it. I felt so excited by it.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458233)
• Switzerland
17 Jul 19
Yes of course I remember, I was not so young after all. The colour TV in Italy only arrived in 1976 (in occasion of the Olympic games), so it was in black and white. I remember the names of the two Italian journalists, Tito Stagno and Ruggero Orlando from the States.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (458233)
• Switzerland
19 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 We only had black and white, so for us it was good enough. I think to remember we only had two channels (Rai 1 and Rai 2) at those times. We had less, but those times were a lot better.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
@LadyDuck Absolutely Anna we only had three channels then BBC1, BBC2 and ITV the other two channels did not start till later in the 90's. Now there are 100's of channels available although we mainly watch the BBC.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
I still think we were so lucky and fortunate being born when we were. How life has improved over the years. A lucky generation I can't say the same for the current generation though! Those old black and white televisions were awful but we knew no better Anna and still thought they were marvellous.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79769)
• United States
16 Jul 19
I remember being glued to the tv watching and waiting for the moon landing
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79769)
• United States
17 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 it was amazing and watching all the footage on tv the past few days brought it all back once again. I'm glad I was old enough to appreciate history in the making 50 years ago
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
@Marilynda1225 I know what you mean. It was such an achievement I don't think kids today appreciate the significance of this amazing feat.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
It was so exciting wasn't it! We were all so proud of the three of them! What an achievement!
3 people like this
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
I was too young to remember although my mother did tell me she put the radio on for us to listen to the moon landing (we didn't have a television until about 1976 and even then it was a black and white one with a 6 inch screen).
I have far better memories of the first space shuttle - we watched that in school.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
It is so funny to think how advanced we have become from a technological point of view. At least we have experienced that. I remember seeing a clip of youngsters trying to work out how to use a dial phone. They did not have a clue! It was quite funny!
3 people like this
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 I know! Even just a few years later my school friends thought our TV must be an oscilliscope (it was originally from an offer on the Cornflakes packet!)
2 people like this
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
16 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 I can just see the bottom of the moon appearing from the clouds now, like a sort of orange-tinted smile!
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
Were you as excited as I clearly was?
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205792)
• Walnut Creek, California
19 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 I was excited. But I was more excited when Sally asked me to hold her hand on a hay ride.
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74579)
• East Tawas, Michigan
17 Jul 19
I was 17 years old at the time, working my very first 'real' job, after high school. My boss(Al)said, 'Kharla, come watch this on television!' I said, 'Nah, I'm not really interested.' Al asked, 'Are you crazy, girl? This is gonna be in history books and some day, you can tell your children that you viewed this event!' To make him happy, I glanced at the TV and watched it happen.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
Shock horror Kharla I bet you are glad you did 'glance' at it so you could share with your children/grandchildren that you were a witness to it. Well done to Al for including you in this special event!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
21 Jul 19
@kobesbuddy Oh my word. I guess it was less interesting for a girl than a boy. I suppose you were thinking more about what makeup you were going to buy with your next pay cheque!
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (74579)
• East Tawas, Michigan
19 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 I was typing away at my desk, as if this was no big deal!
2 people like this
@thelme55 (76476)
• Germany
17 Jul 19
I remember that year. It was talk of our town. Then on that coming Christmas, my uncle made an apollo 11 Christmas lantern for our home. It was a lovey lantern. At that time, we didn't have tv. We only had a radio for listening the news specially of that landing in the moon.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
Amazing what we have witnessed in our life time!
2 people like this
@thelme55 (76476)
• Germany
19 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 Yes, indeed. That also means that we have not only aged but also become wise if not wiser.
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
17 Jul 19
yes sir, a friend 'f my dad's let's watch such't his house. jest a black'n white t.v., but bigger'n ours, lol. 'twas truly fascinatin'!
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
We were so lucky to witness this piece of History and Buzz Aldrin is still alive!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
You must be too young to remember it!
2 people like this
@janethwayne (5193)
• Philippines
19 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 I think I am not yet born at this time.
1 person likes this
@BearArtistLady (5382)
• United States
17 Jul 19
I remember the mission full well. I was so excited about the men actually landing on the moon and I was praying that they would return healthy and in one piece. I watched their "splash down" in the ocean and recovery. If my memory serves me right when the men emerged from the capsule they waved at the cameras and the millions of people watching the recovery. I was 16 at the time and my father started nagging me to join the military...I was about as apt to join the military as I was to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. I think he wanted me to become famous for going into space like the other astronauts.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
OH bless your father! It was such an exciting event wasn't it and we were part of history in the making!
2 people like this
@arunima25 (85328)
• Bangalore, India
17 Jul 19
Color TV came to our country much much later. In fact we got our first black and white TV in 80s. Look at the pace we have made advancement.
I was not born when the mission took place but definitely it's a milestone in the history of mankind.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Jul 19
Can you imagine being such a young child totally engrossed in it and then seeing it on a colour television! I can see it as clear today as I did back then although I doubt the moon was really purple!
2 people like this
@arunima25 (85328)
• Bangalore, India
19 Jul 19
@garymarsh6 We have come a long way in technology advancement. Now just see the crystal clear images and colors in high definition resolution. And it might get better in future. A purple moon... Seems just out of a fairy tale. The moon might be cursed
2 people like this
