There was a very meaningful event in Manhattan on Sunday. The first man on the moon, American Astronaut Neil Armstrong, made a rare public appearance on the U.S.S. Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. He was accompanied by Bob Gilliland, the first man to fly the SR 71 Blackbird, and Vietnam ace Air Force General Steve Ritchie.
The group was supposed to return Saturday from an around the globe tour of our troops overseas, called “The Legends of Aerospace.” But the storms that hit the East coast delayed their arrival by one day. We can go to the moon, but try landing at J.F.K. in a 767 in 70 mile per hour winds! The group discussed their trip and careers.
I spent Saturday waiting for their arrival on the Intrepid, an Essex class aircraft carrier transformed into a floating museum, that was hit several times during World War II by Kamikazes. The worst attack, on November 25, 1944, killed 69 on board. After repairs, the Intrepid went right back into service, and five months after the first attack, was hit yet again, costing the lives of 8 more.
Today you can walk in the very hanger bay, observe the airplanes from different eras, and walk where the dive-bombers targeted the ship. Real news footage of the attacks brings back the day with vivid reality. It is a sobering realization to stand in the same spot where the courageous young sailors and officers once fought off the enemy amid the inferno.
Today, confronted by Islamic Jihad and Al Qaeda, the threats to our nation remain. A visit to the Intrepid is an inspiring reminder of those who have gone before and of how we faced earlier threats with dedication and resolve.