Of Moon, Masons & Men: Neil Armstrong Dies

Neil Alden Armstrong, the first human being on the Moon, has died. He stepped on the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System from Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969, a date most recently linked to the Aurora shootings. Above is the famed NASA photo of Neil Armstrong, inside the lander, after his moonwalk of July 20, 1969.

The above shows Buzz Aldrin on the Moon's surface. Armstrong, who took the photo, is reflected in the visor. This is the only still photograph of him on the moon. All other still photos are of Aldrin. There are television images which show Armstrong (as well as Aldrin) -- but Armstrong had the camera, and did not take any photographs of himself. All are of Buzz Aldrin.

Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong, who was a Freemason, and Viola Louise Engel.

Neil Armstrong celebrated his 82nd birthday, before going for surgery on August 7, 2012, to relieve blocked coronary arteries. He died on August 25, 2012, following complications resulting from these cardiovascular procedures. This Moon-linked Armstrong died the day after the seven winning titles were stripped from Tour de France cycling champion Lance Armstrong (who was born Lance Edward Gunderson, September 18, 1971; he was adopted in 1974, by his mother's second husband, Terry Keith Armstrong).

"Armstrong" means "strong fighter." "Alden," from ald wyn, means "old friend."

July 23, 2012 - Sally Ride, 61, who was the first American woman, and the first acknowledged GLBT in space, died on July 23, 2012 of pancreatic cancer. Her first flight on board the space shuttle Challenger in June 1983 came 20 years to the month after the Soviet Union had launched the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, on their sixth mission. At the age of 32, Ride was also the US's youngest astronaut to go into space. In October 1984, Ride was on board Challenger, accompanied by Kathryn Sullivan, who became the first US woman to walk in space. Ride had been scheduled for a third mission, but it was cancelled when Challenger exploded shortly after take-off in January 1986, killing the seven crew members, among them Christa McAuliffe, intended to be the first teacher in space.

This is flag that Brother Mason Buzz Aldrin unfurled on the Moon on July 21, 1969, when he stated "our flags" were being planted on the lunar surface.

July 21, 1961 – Mercury program: Mercury-Redstone 4 Mission – Gus Grissom piloting Liberty Bell 7 becomes the second American to go into space (in a suborbital mission).

Grissom was scheduled to be the first man to walk on the Moon. Instead, Grissom was killed January 27, 1967, along with fellow astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee during a training exercise and pre-launch test for the Apollo 1 mission at the Kennedy Space Center.

Grissom was born in Mitchell, Indiana. Grissom was a Master Mason and member of Mitchell Lodge 228.

July 21, 1969 – Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon, during the Apollo 11 mission.

Buzz Aldrin is a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a Masonic Knight Templar, and a Shriner.

Buzz flew the Supreme Council's flag on the moon. That flag is now on display in the Masonic Museum of the Supreme Council Scottish Rite Temple in Washington, D.C.

Anderson Luster's model of Alan B. Shepard's last of three swings at Moon golf.

July 21, 1998 – Alan B. Shepard, American astronaut dies.

Shepard was the first American in space. He later commanded the Apollo 14 mission, and was the fifth person to walk on the moon.

While on the Moon, Alan Shepard famously played golf with a Wilson six-iron head attached to a lunar sample scoop handle. Despite thick gloves and a stiff spacesuit which forced him to swing the club with one hand only, Shepard struck two golf balls with a six iron, driving the second according to the official record, but what was actually his third stroke, as he jokingly put it, "miles and miles and miles."

The symbolism of playing golf on the Moon, a sport tied to Freemasonry, with a six iron, with three strokes was not lost on Shepard's Brother Masons.

The origins of golf in Scotland is linked to Masonry, and the membership of the early golf clubs were Freemasons. The term Grand Masters from Freemasonry has been transferred to use in golf as in the Grand Masters Championship Tournaments. Of course, the ultimate Masonic golf course is the Moon.

The St. Andrews golf course's cornerstone was laid by Masonic Brothers.

Leith, July 2, 1768

This day William St Clair of Roslin, Esq., the undoubted representative of the Honourable and Heretable G.M.M of Scotland, In presence of Alexander Keith, Esq., Captain of the Honourable Company of Goffers, and other worthy Members of the Goffing Company, all Masons, The G.M., now in his GRAND CLIMAX of GOFFING, laid the Foundation of the GOFFING HOUSE in the S.E. corner thereof, by THREE STROKES with the Mallet.

ALEXR. KEITH, C. Wm. ST. CLAIR, G.M.M.

GMM stands for Grand Master Mason. The St Clairs of Roslyn were hereditary patrons of the Masons in Scotland for centuries and William St Clair was the first elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1736. He was Captain and prominent member of both the Leith and the St Andrews golf clubs. Apart from laying the foundation stone of the world's first golf clubhouse, his name is on the St Andrew’s minute shortening the Old Course to be eighteen holes in 1764. He died in 1778 and is buried in Roslyn Chapel.

The Royal Blackheath GC was open only to Freemasons until 1789 and, until 1825, it still contained a hardcore group of Masons called the Knuckle Club who played out-of-season to avoid the non-mason members.

According to the Masonic Service Association, one of the most frequently asked questions is:

Which Astronauts Are Masons?

Answer:

Edwin E. Aldrin

Montclair #144, Montclair, NJ

Leroy Gordon Cooper

Carbondale #82 Carbondale, CO

Don F. Eisele

L.B. Turner #732 Columbus, OH

Virgil I. Grissom (Deceased)

Mitchell #228, Mitchell, IN

Wally M. Schirra

Canaveral #339 Cocoa Beach, FL

Thomas P. Stafford

Western Star #138 Weatherford, OK

Edgar D. Michell*

Artesia #28 Artesia, NM

Paul J. Weitz

Lawrence #708 Erie, PA

James B. Irwin

Tajon Lodge No. 104 Colorado Springs, Co

Astronauts Who Have Fathers Who Are Or Were Masons

Alan Shepard

Vance Brand*

John Glenn*

Anthony England

William Pogue

Neil Armstrong

Edgar Mitchell

* Former DeMolay

Source: "Masonic Astronauts," Dunn's Rock Masonic Lodge #267 A.F. & A. M., Brevard, North Carolina.

(Thanks for ideas, tips, and more from MAHII, AG, JC, RPJ, and others.)