What an astonishing moment of fate and coincidence that Walter Cronkite and the 40th Anniversary of the moon landing should have happen almost simultaneously.
Walter - it seemed like all of us called him “Walter” for some reason, must have been his matter of fact delivery or honesty - was the first true “anchor man” on television. He was the most famous journalist of his time, the personification of success in his beloved profession: a journalism school named for him, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the adulation of his peers, audience and future journalist to come.
He covered wars, civil rights, assignations, day to day world affairs and, of course, the Apollo program with its climactic Moon landing.
During this period, one of my least favorite humans, but one of my favorite authors, Norman Mailer, knew that the world would be transformed with the landing of Eagle on the Moon’s surface. So, he did what all great writers do. He began researching and writing. From his efforts came the best novel since The Right Stuff called Of a Fire On the Moon. It told the story as it unfolded and kept you on the edge of your seat, even though you knew the outcome. That’s a great sign of a terrific read.
This month, Taschen Books released a remarkable photography book combining images from NASA’s archive and other private collections with the text from Mailer’s book. The 350-page Norman Mailer, MoonFire: The Epic Journey of Apollo 11, will come with a signed, framed, and numbered image of Buzz Aldrin for $1,000.
Below is a small excerpt the text of Norma Mailer, Moonfire: The Epic Journey of Apollo 11:
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So one got ready for the climax of the greatest week since Christ was born . . .The LEM having flown around the Moon and gone behind it again, the breaking burn for the Descent Orbit Initiation would begin in radio silence . . . .
Phrases came through the general static of the public address system. “Eagle looking great, you’re go,” came through and statements of altitude. “You’re go for landing, over!” “Roger, understand. Go for landing. 3,000 feet.” “We’re go, hang tight, we’re go. 2,000 feet.” So the voice came out of the box. Somewhere a quarter of a million miles away, ten years of engineering and training, a thousand processes and a million parts, a huge swatch put of $25 billion and a hovering of machinery were preparing to go through the funnel of a historical event whose significance might yet be next to death itself, and the reporters who would interpret this information for the newsprint readers of the world were now stirring in polite, if mounting, absorption with the calm cryptic technological voices which came droning out of the box.
Was it like that as one was waiting to be born? Did one wait in a modern room with strangers while numbers were announced – “Soul 77-48-16– you are on call. Proceed to Staging Area CX– at 16:04 you will be conceived.”
So the words came. And the Moon came nearer. “3½ down, 220 feet, 13 forward, 11 forward, coming down nicely, 200 feet, 4½ down, 5½ down, 160, 6½ down, 5½ down , 9 forward, 5 percent. Quality light. 75 feet. Things looking good. Down a half. 6 forward.
“Sixty seconds,” said another voice.
Was that a reference to fuel? Had that been the Capcom? Or was it Aldrin or Armstrong? Who was speaking now? The static was present. The voice was almost dreamy. Only the thinnest reed of excitement quivered in the voice.
“Lights on. Down 2½. Forward. Forward. Good. 40 feet down. Down 2½. Faint shadow. 4 forward. Drifting to the right a little. 6 . . .down a half.”
Another voice said, “Thirty seconds.” Was that thirty seconds of fuel? A modest stirring of anticipation came from the audience.
“Drifting right. Contact light. Okay,” said the voice as even as before, “Engine stop. ACA out of détente. Modes control both auto, descent engine command override, off. Engine arm, off. 423 is in.”
A cry went up, half jubilant, half confused. Had they actually landed?
The Capcom spoke, “We copy you down Eagle.” But it was a question.
“Houston., Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” It was Armstrong’s voice, the quiet voice of the best boy in town, the one who pulls you drowning from the sea and walks off before you can offer a reward. The Eagle has landed.
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And Walter said, “Wow!”
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Trivia question of the day
(Try it without Google)
The answer will be in tomorrow’s blog.
Yesterday’s Question: What was Ozzie Nelson’s profession in the TV series Ozzie and Harriet? Sports writer for a daily newspaper
Today’s Trivia: What are anchor persons called in Sweden?
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