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I was totally dumbfounded on Christmas eve 1968....I was bar hopping with a bunch of other ne'er do wells and the car radio cut to the first men to orbit the moon. It was Jim Lovell, Boorman and Anders, who when they came out of the radio shadow of the moon after the first swing around the moon, they took turns reciting biblical passages...on Christmas eve this was humbling indeed.

That event was a surprise, doubly so because it put humanity into the space program. Up to then it was all technical and no inspiration outside of 'look what we can do'.

How's this for a war story?

I was on leave and home in NJ after attending the Air Force's Squadron Officers School. My second child was due Dec 24th, (to this day I tease her about being my birthday gift since my birthday is March 25. You do the math!). My wife went into labor on the evening of the 23rd and was rushed to the hospital by my Mom-in-Law. My wife had planned a pizza party for friends and I was slaving over the stove when word came that she was at Pt Pleasant Hospital. I called our friends, apprised them of the upcoming launch and rushed to the hospital with pizza in hand since I planned on a long labor.

When I arrived the lady at the front desk asked who I was delivering the pizza to. When I explained it was for me and which way to the expectant father's waiting room she said, "I'm sorry but the maternity ward has been quarranteened due to an influenza concern." she told me to go home and wait for the doc to call. All normal TV signed off at midnight but the NASA broadcast kept me mezmerized, (I'm a spacegeek sorta like the Homer Hickam of the Rocket Boys!).

Our Junior Officers club from Perrin AFB in North Texas had visited Manned Spaceflight Centr in May of that year and I had ,literally, run into Frank Borman. He was nice about my bovine behavior and when he heard that our tour guide was sick he took over and gave us a world class tour of MSC.

Here it was early in the morning and I'm watching the Apollo 8. The reading from Genesis was completed and the phone rang! I was the father of a baby girl. I could visit the next day but would have to wear scrubs and a mask because of the influenza.

When I went to see Mom and Child I was sooo excited. I had been reading "The God Father". When Michael pops the cop and is rushed off to Sicily he meets and marries Apollonia, (who is blown up by a car bomb). When I suggested that our daughter might be named Apollonia the idea was nixed!

Lisa recently had my first grandchild, a daughter, I tried Apollonia again to no avail. She brought forth a grandson on Feb 10th of this year and I tried for Apollo to no avail. Dec 24 1968 resonates throughout my family history. They all think I'm a kook!!!