In the event of moon disaster

[jsr]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-armstrong-eulogy-moon-20120825,0,5041703.story
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/11/in-event-of-moon-disaster.html

Two days before Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, speechwriter William Safire sent 12 sentences to President Nixon’s chief of staff.

The title of his memo: “In the event of moon disaster.”

Getting the astronauts to the moon was one thing, Nixon had been told. Getting them home was quite another.

Had Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin been stranded on the moon, left to choose between starvation or suicide, Nixon would have given the following address.

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Transcript

To: H. R. Haldeman
From: Bill Safire

July 18, 1969.

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IN EVENT OF MOON DISASTER:

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.

These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.

These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.

They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by the nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.

In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.

In ancient days, men looked at the stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.

Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.

For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.

PRIOR TO THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT:

The President should telephone each of the widows-to-be.

AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT, AT THE POINT WHEN NASA ENDS COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MEN:

A clergyman should adopt the same procedure as a burial at sea, commending their souls to "the deepest of the deep," concluding with the Lord's Prayer.

[a geek named Bob]

1. So they planned ahead

[Archae]

2. Can you imagine how Michael Collins would have felt?

If he had to come back alone?

[krispos42]

5. Shit.

[leveymg]

3. Never liked Nixon's voice anyway. Glad I never heard or read that until today.

The Apollo crews were genuine heroes for all of humanity.

[XemaSab]

4. That contingency speech is one of the most moving speeches I've ever read

It's amazing to think that what turned out to be a day of national triumph could so easily have turned into a day of national mourning.

[Poll_Blind]

6. I was struck much the same way. Very moving. nt

PB

[rsdsharp]

8. It came within a hair breadth

The engine arm circuit breaker on the ascent portion of the LEM was broken off. The had to use a pen to set the breaker. If they hadn't have been able to do that, they could not have lifted off the lunar surface.

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Having to imagine the worst is, in a small way, to experience it.

One of the burdens of leadership we seldom think about.

Very reminiscent of this:

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/d-day-message/