[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           A TRIBUTE TO NEIL ARMSTRONG, A TRUE AMERICAN HERO

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                            HON. BILL POSEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 12, 2012

  Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an American 
hero, Neil Alden Armstrong whose recent passing has impacted not only 
family members and those who were close to him, but also a nation that 
will forever salute his unforgettable step onto the surface of our 
moon.
  Born August 5, 1930; Armstrong lifted off the runway for the first 
time at the age of two on a Ford Trimotor nicknamed ``The Tin Goose.'' 
As a young man, he found a passion in flying planes, becoming flight 
certified early in life at the age of fifteen. It is no surprise that 
he studied aerospace engineering at Purdue University as a member of 
the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps under the Holloway Plan.
  After completing two years of college, Armstrong was ordered to 
enroll in flight training in Pensacola, Florida on the path to becoming 
an active duty Naval Aviator. Armstrong's resolute character and 
bravery reached a new pedestal after he was shot down in combat during 
the Korean War. He returned to Purdue University, graduated in 1955, 
and took an assignment to continue his Navy service at Edward's Air 
Force Base, where he subsequently earned a masters degree in 
aeronautics. Soon after, he flew as a civilian pilot for NASA's parent 
agency, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), in 
Cleveland, Ohio.
  As a test pilot, Armstrong was exposed to innovative military 
aircraft, playing a central role in helping to refine and improve 
aeronautic technologies. Armstrong's ascension as a strong leader was 
inevitable as respect for his reliable character and yet humble 
personality was recognized within the ranks of the military and space 
elite.
  In 1958, after a successful tenure piloting aircraft as both a 
civilian and military airman, Armstrong was recruited into the Air 
Force's ``Man in Space Soonest,'' division. He piloted some of the 
earliest aircraft to be engineered to breach the Earth's atmosphere and 
outpace the speed of sound surpassing 4,000 miles per hour. This was a 
very exciting era in space innovation, which remains close to our 
hearts in Florida's Space Coast, where many residents, including 
myself, were fortunate enough to be employed by NASA's Apollo program 
in the late 1960's.
  Over the course of Armstrong's career as an astronaut he logged 
thousands of hours in preparation for space travel. Relentless in the 
pursuit to harvest knowledge, he became a college professor after his 
retirement from NASA. Armstrong's commitment to his work and his 
unwavering receptiveness of challenge after challenge set a precedent, 
hand in hand, complimenting the world-shadowing message of the American 
space revolution. He was not simply a man with a technical ability to 
fly, rather a renaissance example of humble character and passionate 
conviction for the advancement of humankind.
  Those of us who were alive on July 20, 1969, will never forget what 
we felt as an American space pioneer, Neil Armstrong, stepped from the 
lunar module and was the first human to place foot on the moon. 
``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'' are a 
constant reminder of human achievement and American ingenuity and they 
serve as a constant reminder to that the seemingly impossible can be 
achieved.
  An American icon has passed after eighty-two fulfilling years. Neil 
Armstrong's chronicled achievements will be forever observed in history 
and he will never be forgotten as the father of lunar exploration. He 
was a wonderful human being, a true gentleman, honest, sincere, and 
seemingly unaffected by his many accomplishments and notoriety. He will 
continue to serve as a role model and an inspiration for generations to 
come.

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