James May behind the wheel of NASA Astronaut Neil Armstrong’s Corvette inspires unexpected reverence, and personal stories from Stephen Green, Scott Ott and Bill Whittle in which each came to touch a timeless legend. Share your similar story here in the comments.
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33 replies on “Neil Armstrong’s Corvette: Unexpected Reverence When You Touch a Timeless Legend”
While watching this show, I’m reminded of the movie Star Trek First Contact and the scene in which captain Picard is touching the Phoenix spacecraft with reverence.
I think my first visit to the Air and Space museum was in 1978 on my post army trip to visit cousins in the area… and I have been back almost every time I have landed in DC… it is always a wonder that I have introduced to my older children… time to plan a trip with my grandchildren… who already need no introduction to the concept (and building… in Lego for now) of intricate spacecraft …. it would be a blast!!
One of my strangest experiences was on a trip to Egypt with an American group of meditators and peace workers… We had concluded a full moon meditation during a lightning storm in the palace of Luxor… and as I began walking out down a wide stone boulevard I suddenly felt myself change pace and stature and remarked…I must have been here before… in a procession of some sort… and the sense of it has never left me…
Ok Boys, I have several favorite episodes of R A and now this one to add to the list! I love you all (or as they say in my native Kentucky ~ y’all ) for your kind, sensitive souls, your love of history and your patriotism. I am happy to be on the Common Sense Resistance team.
As all good Texans do I made a pilgrimage to the Alamo. I touched the bullet scarred walls. I walked the ground. Part of the old fort was across the street and stretched across a substantial area of downtown San Antonio. As a younger man I took my boys to San Jacinto, arguably one of the key battle grounds of the 19th century and walked the fields where the outnumbered Texans in their rage and fury thundered down on the surprised Mexican Army and destroyed it. I marveled at the courage it must have taken to cross that field knowing the army across the way was twice your army’s size. And while they made that charge the immortal “Yellow Rose of Texas,” a mulatto slave girl distracted Santa Anna and earned herself the title place in the battle hymn of Texas.
Then there was the Battleship Texas, a veteran of WWI and WWII, bombarding the landing grounds from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It’s still maintained as a sacred site to Texans. I roamed the decks upper and lower as a kid (I was there twice).
I walked the battlefields at Vicksburg, Valley Forge and dog run cabin of Cynthia Ann Parker who was abducted by Comanches and became the mother of the War Chief Quanha Parker.
And every time I visit an historic place like that, I have to touch something that was there. In Washington DC, I did a rubbing of the name of a neighbor kid I knew that died in Vietnam and had his name inscribed there.
And there was there in DC at the Museum of Natural History the very skeleton of a T-Rex that I had seen so many times in the books on dinosaurs that I poured over when I was 6 and had just learned to say paleontologist correctly and thought I wanted to be one.
When I see a generation coming up that has no reverence for the past it makes me sad. For those who forget the past, who have no respect for the lessons learned by our ancestors, are doomed to make far worse mistakes in the future.
Thank God not all young people have forgot. Some have learned. Their parents taught them and like my wife and I did we hauled our kids every Saturday afternoon to every museum, state park, stopped for every historical marker and landmark whether historical or natural within 150 miles of our home. We taught those kids to wonder. To experience that sense of touching the past, of reverence for the lives that made our freedom and prosperity possible.
God will not allow those kind of people to be lost in the quagmire created by the totalitarian rulers who want to erase everything worthwhile, everything heroic, every trace of goodness we’ve learned through hard endeavor.Those people seek a corruptible crown and by God we shall oppose them!
Tom King
(excerpt from “Just One Man’s Opinion – Nov. 4, 2021)
I’ve seen the Liberty Bell twice, been in the Air and Space Museum, visited the Udvar-Hazy portion of the NASM which far exceeds the mall version, and been to Kill Devil Hill to see where Wilbur and Orville made their first three powered flights. All of that pales compared to owning my great-grandfather’s rifle he carried in the Civil War. The firing pin has been removed to make it safe, but it’s one crude and heavy weapon. I would not have wanted to carry that all the time. The Civil War battlefields are great for understanding how our country has changed over time.
Scott, I visited Philadelphia in the late 1980’s and also saw George Washington’s chair and felt exactly as you did. Awe is not a strong enough word. Even though our history is not as old as Europe’s, it is still special to Americans as the place where freedom was born.
As with the history teacher Karen Samuel recalls, it’s probably not lost on all BWDC members
How great a storyteller Bill Whittle is. Scott and Steve too, but Bill is on a different level. His History of the Atomic Bomb, and History of political correctness Afterburners are proof.
One of my dearest locations is the Great Hall of Hampton Court Palace. Apart from being a stunning space constructed for Henry VIII, and used by every monarch from him to George II, it is a sacred space in the history of the English language and the history of all the English-speaking peoples.
As part of the festivities during the winter of 1603/4 the Great Hall was where an acting troupe known as the King’s Men performed a number of plays for the new king, James VI & I and his court. On New Year’s night they saw a play described as “A play of Robin Goodfellow” or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it is also thought that both Hamlet and Macbeth were performed. Not only was Shakespeare the lead playwright to the King’s Men, thanks to surviving documents listing the players that winter, we know he was actually there, playing for the King.
After the festivities James got down to the business of deciding the direction of the Church of England which he had inherited from Elizabeth I. He gathered Anglican/Episcopalian and Puritan clerics together for the Hampton Court Conference. The main sessions were held in the Great Hall. The one big thing to come out of the conference was the commissioning of the King James Version of the Bible in English. It was born on the printing presses of London in 1611, but it was conceived in the Great Hall of Hampton Court in 1604.
No other space ties together James I (who kick started English settlement in the Americas), Shakespeare, and the King James Bible together like the Great Hall. I spent many hours there when I was a Warder at the palace, and I still lead tours there. Even after nearly twenty years of knowing the space intimately, it still has the power to send shivers down my spine.
Great stories, gents. Of course, my wife and I have always had a penchant for family heirloom furniture, Granddad’s tools, etc. For me, a place did it: years ago I was checking out an interesting job opportunity near Trenton, NJ where many of the company employees lived in historic Bucks County, PA. I was checking out the commute…..cross the river on PA-523, a.k.a. the Washington Crossing Bridge. Then I realized, “Yep, that’s where he did it”. That would be a cool commute to work. The next time I was in the area traveling with two colleagues, I related to them that story – it was completely lost on them: neither appreciated it because neither had grown up in this country.
If you love battlefields like Bill does, here’s a great resource.
https://www.battlefields.org/preserve/celebrate-our-victories?emci=7b2e8ace-5355-e811-80c3-00155da78012&emdi=07285dba-4c18-eb11-96f5-00155d03bda0&ceid=443149&utm_source=email&utm_medium=welcome&utm_campaign=1
Bill spoke of seeing Space Ship One in the Smithosian. My best friend was the head of procurement at Scaled Composites and I was there all night in the hanger prior to the Ansari X prize flight with Burt Rutan and Richard Branson. And yes, I did grasp the historical importance of the flight.
Great episode. Years ago after I got out of the Army, my brother and I went to Europe. In Germany we visited a very old, smallish Cathedral, and under the altar of the Cathedral was a room — a crypt. Because the crypt was small, we tourists were taken down in small groups to see the tomb of a medieval knight. About 8 of us looked at this large, brown stone vault about 4 feet high in the center of the room. I don’t remember his name, but the date of his death was etched into the stone — he died in the year 900 so he had been honored for over 1,000 years. And I touched it.
So — reverence for history? Amen.
Fantastic episode! I have not had the privilege of touching that many artifacts but one that stands out is John Glenn’s Mercury capsule at the Air and Space Museum. I was just awed by it. How small and cramped it is and how amazing that John could even fit his balls in that, launch into orbit and then return to hopefully survive the heat and be fortunate enough to be found bobbing in the ocean. Awe inspiring.
Of all of the places I’ve been, Virginia is filled with these opportunities. Like Bill, I was also fortunate enough to stand on the battlefield at Spotsylvania on a warm, spring afternoon. My wife was sleeping in the car so I just walked the battlefield and sat down in the field. It was warm and sunny and the birds were singing. I was the only (live) human being there. A feeling of the tremendous sacrifice came over me and I’ve never forgotten it.
Appomattox Courthouse is another place. As is Williamsburg. And Fredericksburg. Places where pivotal history took place right under your feet and the evidence of it, whether buildings and furniture or canon shells still stuck in the brick walls are everywhere.
Someday, I’d like to get to Europe and experience the final drive from the beaches at Normandy to the heart of Germany.
Thanks again for another great episode. Bill, you and I are of similar age. All of your incredible shows have convinced me that we are brothers of a different mother.
The only physical thing i touched with history was my father’s circular slide rule, which I still have. Like Steve, I was in the presence of The Spirit of St Louis at the Air and Space Museum in Washington.DC. Now since Bill opened the door, I’m going to point you all to my not that interesting blog here titled “My encounter with Neil.Armstrong.” Only a few minutes, and he spoke precisely 3 words to me. I could not hold him long, with no regrets, only a bit of wistfullness. I wish I could have met Aldrin as well. Maybe I someday could shake hands with “Famish” Bill Whittle, so I could shake the hands that shook Alidrins, and he could shake the hand of “Not even in my own mind legend” me, the hand of someone shook Armstrongs. Another person I met and spent 15-20 with was Dr Heimlich of Heimich maneuver fame.I met him At a party for his son who I knew.
I have experienced that sensation you have all discussed on many occasions. One example that has a direct relation to Neil Armstrong’s corvette is that, years ago, I purchased a 1976 Chevy Monza that belonged to Neil Armstrong’s brother, and I often wondered if Dean had given Neil a ride in that car.
As a Civil War reenactor, I have visited battlefield sites numerous times and have stood on the exact spots where soldiers braved the crucible of battle. I live about 24 miles from Gettysburg, and I never tire of visiting The Wheatfield, Little Round Top, and the cemetery where Lincoln gave The Gettysburg Address.
My most personal example of holding something that has historical significance, though, is an inexpensive Hamilton wristwatch that my father wore throughout his service during WWII. He wore this watch as he stood guard in the Tunisian desert on Christmas Eve 1942, when he first flew from North Africa to Italy in 1944, and when – as a member of the 352nd Bomb Squadron, 15th AAF – he flew over Regensburg, Germany on a bombing run… an attack where, of the 30 bombers from his squadron, ten had to turn back because of mechanical issues, and ten of the remaining twenty were shot down by the Germans. Whenever I hold or wear this watch, I think about where it has been and what it has witnessed… and that it was on the wrist of my father that entire time.
That’s a family treasure for sure.
I wish more history teachers were good story tellers and could get kids interested in history. One of my favorite teachers in highschool was my US history teacher for 2 years, because after the first required class, I took 2 electives just because he taught them. He didn’t relay facts, he told us stories. He was a US History enthusiast and had specifically studied the scandals of the American Presidency for his post grad degree. Those were the best of his tales. He told me once that many history teachers at all levels weren’t teaching the parts of history they were personally interested in, and he was fortunate to be teaching his favorite subject. I miss Mr Uremovic.
I have found that this is really a key to what makes for a good history teacher… the ability to tell a story. I have taken numerous history courses in high school and in college, and I’ve had some terribly boring instructors. I have also been blessed to have some excellent history teachers who made the subject matter come alive. As a Civil War reenactor, I have given presentations to various groups of people, and I have tried my best to tell the best stories I could… historically accurate, but told in a way that – I hope – draws in my audience.
I had a 7th or eighth grade history teacher who made it come alive… we held a mock trial of historical figures and the date 1066 is etched in my memory forever… and learned to evaluate multiple sources to get at the truth… lessons that have served me well…
What a great Right Angle today. Thanks!
I have not done any world trucking in my life, but the one thing I HAVE done is walk on the sands of Dunkerque and wept with the sense of the presence of so many heroes who lost their lives to the Nazis with their backs pinned to the sea and no place to go. My intent was to drive to Normandy but it was too late in the day and I had a plane to catch.
Beautiful segment gentlemen, thank you.
My story: A few years ago I bought a vial of Trinitite online – the residue from the first atomic blast, July 16, 1945. It changed history forever. It evokes J. Robert Oppenheimer and his diet of martinis, coffee, and cigarettes. The trinitite may not be real, but it looks real, and I believe it’s real. As in the movie “Howard the Duck”, you don’t want to be trapped in a world you never made.
How do you do it? Every video is wonderful. I teared up. Every story reminded us of greatness, sacrifice, bravery. I spent five hours visiting Gettysburg, and every minute there I was on the verge of bawling. What these men had done–imperfect, impassioned, immense, came to life for me. Thank you Bill, Steve, and Scott. You changed my day.
The first time I recall experiencing this unexpected historic reverence for a physical object was the first time I held and fired an M1 Garand rifle. It was the rifle that won WWII and beat back the Chinese and North Koreans ensuring a free world in the first instance and a prosperous and free South Korea in the second. Carried into combat all over the world by American and other forces, it was named by General George S. Patton “the greatest battle implement ever devised”.
To Leftists “greatness” is defined by George Floyd, not Washington.
Profound, sad, and true!
When I was a little bit older than Little Bob, Father Bob and I started building 1/48 scale model airplanes, mostly WWII fighters & some more modern. We hung them from string nailed into the wooden supports in our basement. We had so many that we divided them, with half of our basement being the European theater and the other half being the Pacific, with the modern planes going in the garage. When we finally stopped we were up to 64 planes. Eventually they all went between moving abd downsizing, with about a dozen remaining. They now proudly fly, suspended up in my toolshed. I’m still mad at myself for not having hung them up before Father Bob passed last year.
Even in her final days of being able to speak coherently, Mother Bob still sometimes mentioned the one WWI fighter we had in the fleet that I hung only by its tail, smearing black paint on a pair of cotton balls to simulate smoke coming from the engine.
Awesome. We built every WWII fighter model we could find and hung them up with fishing line as you did.
I remember one Christmas having a “Gift of the magi” moment when we bought each other Fokkers. All good, since that kit had color schemes and decals for four or five different versions. I don’t know which one I did, but remember my dad using the desert color scheme
Watching each of you get misty over those Touchstones that are meaningful to you was a joy.
I have a few of those.
My father’s father passed when my dad was only 7. My uncle, dad’s older brother, often told me how much I looked like their dad. I have his wedding ring. Platinum with a diamond and very small. He was a musician, but worked as a steam fitter. I wear it anytime I put on a tux for the Symphony (I am in the chorus). I also have my dad’s wedding ring which is a simple band of platinum, and a signet ring he got for confirmation. I wear them occasionally, usually when I want to feel closer to him.
Steve- get the ring re-sized!
I have one “famous” person item. My aunt (mother’s sister) back in the 70s was the personal assistant to a world famous singer. They we close friends up until his death and I recall having Sunday brunch once when he was in Manhattan. When he passed, he left her several personal items. One is a crystal decanter that she gave to me, thinking it would make a nice whisky decanter. I use it regularly, always remembering to whom it originally belonged, and who gave it to me (she has now also passed).
Such is the bane of continuing to age myself. The people are gone, but the tangible things remind us of them. Often with dusty results.
I know what you mean as far as personal family historic items goes, I wind mine every week on Friday.
About a dozen feet behind where I sit right now is a Waterbury mantel clock that has ticked away the seconds, minutes and hours of 6 generations of my family. It was originally purchased during the Civil War in 1862.
As far as clocks go, it’s pretty plain. Just black laquer, a bit of brass and black hands on a now-not-so-white clock face.
Neither is Waterbury anything special in clockmakers. Waterbury is the founding company that later would become Timex. The clock is the cheap Timex wristwatch of it’s day, a means of timekeeping that was within the affordable range for most farm families in the days it was offered.
I love the chimes, I’ve been hearing them for my entire life, or at least the parts of it while I was home. Nothing special there either, it strikes the hour with the corresponding number of throaty “dongs” and the half hour with a light “ding”. No Westminster chimes, no tune at all, just the hour so you can count what time it is without actually being in visual contact with the clock.
For a machine that’s 160 years old it keeps amazing time, usually to about 30 seconds +/- a week. To my knowledge it’s never been repaired or professionally cleaned.
It’s a bridge across time to several ages now past. It comes from a time when people were both more fragile and more durable than they are today. A time when you bought a clock that would last you and your progeny many lifetimes. I don’t know how many, at least 6 so far.
The biggest problem that clock presents to me is who it will pass on to next. It has to be someone who will appreciate it as much as I do and so far I have very few candidates for that.
That’s pretty awesome.
I have nothing that spans the generations like that as most of my family came over in the late 19th or early 20th with only what they could carry in a couple of suitcases or duffle bags. Not much room for heirlooms or sentimental items.
But I can really appreciate the clock. My dad bought one in Germany when he served in the early 50s in Berlin. He took care of it meticulously. My brother has it and treats it much like you do yours. Also, like you, I don’t think either of his children will appreciate the import of such an item.
I do have copy of a genealogy my aunt participated in with relatives in Italy. And one of my cousins worked on one for the Polish side. Nobody famous going back to the 18th century. Go figure. No rich slave-owners, either. Just normal folks trying to survive the times as best they could. Like most of humanity.
I do think there is something to what Bill said early in this episode, that the tangible-ness of history is not being taught with malice aforethought. Just one more thing we need to teach our children and grandchildren.