Share this on:
 E-mail
171,961
VIEWS
 
RECOMMENDS
346
SHARES
About this iReport
  • Approved for CNN

  • Click to view gforce59's profile
    Posted July 16, 2009 by
    gforce59
    Location
    Greenville, South Carolina
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    40th anniversary of a man on the moon

    More from gforce59

    My part in Apollo 11

     

    At 50 years old I am proud of this country and my very small part played in Apollo 11.  As a 10 year old boy I helped "save the day" at the Guam tracking station on Apollo 11's return to earth. My dad, Charles Force, was the NASA Tracking Station Director on Guam at the time.  A bearing in the stations largest antennae failed after the moon landing.  With Guam being a crucial link in NASA communications with Apollo 11 as it returned it was not possible to not use the antennae.  My dad's solution was to get his 10 year old son out to the station (because my arm was small enought to fit through the only access hole) and pack grease around the failed bearing so the stations could finish its support role in the mission.  The story was picked up by news outlets around the world.

     

    For this I got a thank you note from Neil Armstrong and more importantly the pride of being a small part of one of the greatest achievements of our country.

     

    ----------

    As a side note: I am lucky also to be able to attend 'Celebrate Apollo' on the 40th anniversary of the moon landing which will be held at the Air and Space Museum, July 20th.  The Apollo 11 crew is supposed to be there along with many of this country's astronauts and professionals that have made the NASA program what it is.  I got this invitation through my dad's former role as an Associate Administrator for NASA.  He passed away in 2007 but I will be lucky enough to attend with my mom (who is the real invitee).  I am very excited and looking forward to being lucky enough to attend this event !

    What do you think of this story?

    Select one of the options below. Your feedback will help tell CNN producers what to do with this iReport. If you'd like, you can explain your choice in the comments below.
    Be and editor! Choose an option below:
      Awesome! Put this on TV! Almost! Needs work. This submission violates iReport's community guidelines.

    Comments

    Log in to comment

    iReport welcomes a lively discussion, so comments on iReports are not pre-screened before they post. See the iReport community guidelines for details about content that is not welcome on iReport.

    Add your Story Add your Story