[1] Thirty-eight years ago today, a 38-year-old became the first man to set foot on the moon.

That man, Neil Armstrong, represented the face of millions of people, who, for thousands of years, considered what was on that mystery object that lit the night sky.

In stepping on the moon, planting the American flag, Armstrong helped bring to an end the great space race between the U.S. and its Cold War foe, the Soviet Union.

By pioneering, by orbiting the moon, then, finally, landing on the moon — an event I well remember — America demonstrated to the world that it wasn’t only capable of sending military men to other countries to fight wars.

This was also a time of great unrest within the U.S., as well, with riots and political protests over an unpopular war. With the moon landing, something the late President John F. Kennedy committed the U.S. to achieving before the end of the 1960s, the nation demonstrated we were also able — and capable — of achieving goals set down by visionaries. It’s a shame we no longer have leaders like that today.

Although it has only been Americans who have set foot on the moon, the Chinese government announced, and periodically issue statements, that they will be sending one of their people to the moon in the next several years. If that happens, great. Just don’t die in the process. In the past three months, many products of Chinese origin have shown poor workmanship. Just be sure the space craft used are capable of delivering the rocket, crew, and payload to the moon, then bringing everything home, in one piece. Alive.

As for America’s 38th anniversary of stepping on the moon: Thanks Commander Armstrong!