Neil Alden Armstrong, who became the first man to walk on the Moon, was born on the 30th August 1930 in Ohio, U.S.A. His parents ran a farm there.
In his childhood Neil used to work in the farm. He loved to hike, fish, hunt and swim in the rural village with forests rivers, lakes, and other natural features.
From his childhood he displayed a calm and quiet nature. It is reported that he was not disturbed even in a crisis. In fact he was a person with an excellent presence of mind, fine health and endurance.
He had his early education in few schools in Ohio and at school he excelled in Mathematics and Physics. Next he joined a private aviation school and learned to pilot aircraft.
As a young man he loved flying, and read a lot about Samuel Langley, and Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, the pioneers of aviation.
His great interest, dedication and the capabilities won him the rare opportunity to join the U. S. Navy as a pilot.
In 1955, Neil obtained the Aircraft Engineer’s Degree and he was recruited to the Air Research and Development Institute shortly. After few years he was appointed to a high ranking post in the NASA.
When the NASA selected candidates for the space missions, Neil Armstrong was chosen as an astronaut in 1962.
He was the command pilot for the Gemini 8 orbital flight in 1966.
On 20th July 1969 he became the first man to walk on the Moon, remarking that it was ‘one step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’
After retiring as an astronaut he remains an influential figure in the world of aerospace and aviation.
