The men of the Apollo missions were the heroes of my youth. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with Col. Frank Borman, who was the commander of Apollo 8, which many of you recall, was the first space mission where men left the security of earth orbit and successfully entered into lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, 1968. I have also heard Gene Kranz, Director of Flight Operations, give his account of what all happened during the Apollo 13 explosion. To hear him speak is absolutely spell binding. The minute-by-minute details that he presents about that mission and the steps that were taken to bring those men back to earth alive, is absolutely breathtaking. The level of dedication that these men possessed and the application of their intelligence and leadership can only be something that history makers are born with.
Now you can believe anything you want to, but when you hear these men give an account that not only comes from their own recollections, but also from the depths of their heart, there is no possible way that it’s all a part of some fanciful conspiracy.
I really miss the NASA of my youth. It’s a crime that in many of our schools today, this effort and time period of our nation’s history is glossed over or largely ignored. I guess you just had to be there.
