The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Apollo astronauts to be at aviation enshrinement

TERRY RENNA/STR Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, left, and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., in 1999

ENLARGE PHOTO

SHNS photo courtesy NASA Neil Armstrong made this photograph of Buzz Aldrin as the first two men step foot on the moon, July 20, 1969.

ENLARGE PHOTO

92-year-old woman says ‘movement is medicine’
Updated 12 min. ago
Holiday safety tips: From cooking to travel
11:01 a.m.
Readers share holiday food recipes
11:02 a.m.
Thanksgiving tips to make the holiday meal easy and delicious
11/20/09
Are you willing to watch your children fail?
11/20/09
> More lifestyle headlines

By John Nolan, Staff Writer Updated 5:18 PM Thursday, July 9, 2009

DAYTON — The astronauts of the Apollo space program’s glory years will be out in force when the National Aviation Hall of Fame conducts its annual enshrinement ceremony to add new members to its ranks.

The event is scheduled to coordinate with the annual Vectren Dayton Air Show, to allow prominent aviators the opportunity to attend both the Dayton-based events.

The astronauts expected to attend on either or both of two nights of the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s celebration include Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Walter Cunningham, Jim Lovell, Frank Borman, Charlie Duke, Jim McDivitt, Vance Brand, Joe Engle, Harrison Schmitt, Gene Cernan, Fred Haise and Tom Stafford. The astronauts also are invited to July events in Washington to mark the 40th anniversary of Armstrong’s historic first steps on the moon.

The National Aviation Hall of Fame has scheduled its annual president’s dinner the night of Friday, July 17, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. There, the organization plans to present the Milton Caniff “Spirit of Flight” award to the Apollo astronauts to honor their work in achieving moon landings and returning to Earth.

On Saturday night, July 18, comedian Rich Little is to serve as master of ceremonies as the National Aviation Hall of Fame inducts its newest members. They will join 199 already enshrined.

The new class of honorees includes the late James Stewart, the actor and World War II bomber pilot; former astronauts Eileen Collins and the late Edward White, and Russell Meyer Jr., former chairman and chief executive officer of Cessna Aircraft Co.

The enshrinees are to be presented by celebrities in their own right. The presenters include former astronaut Charles Precourt for Collins; former pro golfer Arnold Palmer, a longtime owner of Cessna planes, for Meyer; astronaut Armstrong for White, who is to be represented by his children; and television and newspaper commentator Nick Clooney for Stewart. The late actor will be represented by Carson Greene Jr., president of the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Stewart’s birthplace of Indiana, Pa.

CONTACT this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Share this article