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Near Wapakoneta, Ohio, U.S.
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Astronaut Neil Armstrong developed a fascination with flight at an early age and earned his student pilot's license when he was 16
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n 1949, as part of his scholarship, Armstrong trained as a pilot in the Navy and two years later, served in the Korean War
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He left the service and returned to college
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Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1955. His first assignment was with the NACA Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland
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Armstrong transferred to astronaut status in 1962. He was assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission
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Gemini 8 was launched on March 16, 1966, and Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space.
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The mission was sent to space on July 16, 1969, reached the surface of the Moon on July 20 of that same year and the following day managed to have 2 astronauts
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He was Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati between 1971-1979
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During the years 1982-1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, Inc., Charlottesville, Va.
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Armstrong was decorated by 17 countries. , including the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the Congressional Gold Medal; the Congressional Space Medal of Honor; the Explorers Club Medal; the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy; the NASA Distinguished Service Medal; the Harmon International Aviation Trophy; the Royal Geographic Society's Gold Medal; the Federation Aeronautique Internationale's Gold
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rmstrong passed away on Aug. 25, 2012 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. He was 82.
