It was the Summer of 1969. School was over and it was time to think about where to go on vacation. My mother, who seemed to always be on top of things, suggested that we go to Florida and see the Moon Rocket lift off. Mom knew that I was space crazy, having attentively watched all the Gemini rocket launches. So off we went, Mom, me and my best friend Jim down to Cape Kennedy to witness this historic event. Logistically, it also didn't hurt that my mother's brother lived nearby in tropical Ft. Lauderdale.

Arriving at the launchsite a day or two before the blastoff, we took one of the frequent tours around the Nasa spaceport complex. We saw all sorts of things, including the Vertical Assembly Building where the rocket had been put together and the giant crawler mechanism that slowly hauled the enormous Saturn V to its final resting place. And of course they proudly took us to the actual launchpad where Apollo 11 was being painstakingly prepared for liftoff.

On the appointed morning the three of us joined the large crowd of eager spectators that lined the beaches across the canal from the launchsite. Enduring the humidity, we all sipped our sodas and listened to the radio in anticipation as the countdown progressed. Several hours later the big moment finally arrived and everyone rose to their feet with binoculars in hand. Ascending from the horizon, a tiny spark passed overhead that was amazingly brilliant. A more impressive sensation, though, was the deafening roar the rocket produced, even at a distance of miles. I still remember it seeming like a popcorn popper had been placed next to my head. A thunderous crackling sound was emitted for what seemed like minutes. Eventually the mighty vehicle soared out of sight leaving only a white plume of vapor behind.

A few nights later, in a small motel somewhere down the coast, we stayed awake to witness the dramatic landing. Travel-worn, we propped ourselves up in bed and watched the fuzzy black and white television broadcast of Neil Armstrong descending the leg of the Lunar Lander, stepping off for the very first time onto the surface of the Moon. Knowing that we would have plenty of time the following day to consider recent events, we turned off the lights and fell rapidly asleep.

As Apollo 11 made its way back to Earth, we, too, completed the journey we had set out on. Having been so close to the action, Jim and I were interviewed by our hometown newspaper upon our return, giving us the chance to share a few thoughts about the unique events we had just experienced.

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