How one small step became a giant leap

But despite their wish to drink in this new and strange and beautiful and wonderful place, Neil and Buzz had to move on to their chores.

First, they reset their television camera’s location 60 feet (18m) from Eagle. This would help earthlings see some of the things they were seeing.

Next on their list of duties was to plant the American flag. By international agreement, no country could claim the Moon, even the first to get there. That was stated firmly in a plaque on Eagle’s front leg.

“For those who haven’t read the plaque,” Neil told the television viewers, “it says, ‘Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 a.d. We came in peace for all mankind.’ It has the crew members’ signatures and the signature of the president of the United States.”

Neil and Buzz then unfurled an American flag stiffened with wire so that it would appear to fly on the airless Moon. But the Moon’s subsurface was so hard, they could barely get its pole to stand. Once they did, they moved back to clear the view of the 16mm color movie camera looking down from Eagle’s window.

Then there were other protocols to meet.

In the lunar dust, Neil and Buzz placed mementos for the five deceased American and Russian space flyers, and one small cargo — private and honorable — carried by Neil. It was not to be divulged. It was a diamond-studded astronaut pin made especially for Deke Slayton by the three Apollo 1 astronauts who planned to fly it on their mission before that dreadful fire.

And yet there was one other remembrance. Very special and dear to Neil, a part of an unfinished life he so wanted to leave on the Moon, and he did.

So the estimated billion people on Earth watching could keep track, Neil relocated their television camera to its cable’s limits. Those viewing could now see even more, and CapCom told him, “We’ve got a beautiful picture, Neil,” adding, “Could we get both of you on the camera for a minute, please?”

“Say again, Houston,” Neil asked.

“We’d like to get both of you in the field of view of the camera for a minute.”

Buzz was in the middle of setting up experiments, and while he found the request puzzling, he moved in front of the camera.

“Neil and Buzz,” CapCom Bruce McCandless told them, “the president of the United States is in his office now and would like to say a few words to you, over.”

“That would be an honor,” Neil responded.

“Go ahead, Mr. President. This is Houston out.”

“Hello, Neil and Buzz,” President Richard Nixon began, “I’m talking to you by telephone from the Oval Room at the White House, and this certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made. I just can’t tell you how proud we all are of what you are doing for every American. This has to be the proudest day of our lives. And for people all over the world, I am sure they, too, join with Americans in recognizing what an immense feat this is. Because of what you have done, the heavens have become a part of man’s world. And as you talk to us from the Sea of Tranquillity, it inspires us to redouble our efforts to bring peace and tranquility to Earth. For one priceless moment in the whole history of man, all the people on this Earth are truly one; one in their pride in what you have done, and one in our prayers that you will return safely to Earth.”

There was a long silence, a grateful silence by a listening world, and Neil responded: “Thank you, Mr. President. It’s a great honor and privilege for us to be here representing not only the United States but also men of peace of all nations, and with interest and a curiosity and a vision for the future. It’s an honor for us to be able to participate here today.”

“And thank you very much, and I look forward,” President Nixon told Neil, “all of us look forward to seeing you on the Hornet on Thursday.”

“I look forward to that very much, sir,” Buzz joined in.

Neil and Buzz would find in the future when they were making their world tour that they would be greeted by people everywhere saying “we,” not just the United States, “We did it — we went to the Moon!”