Round-the-World Flights


"Apollo-11 Astronauts Goodwill Round-the-World Flight Tour"



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Boeing VC-137B (mod 707) Astronauts w/Nixon Flown Cover Commander Lt Col Peden Armstrong-Aldrin-Collins
Pix #1 Pix #2 Pix #3 Pix #4 Pix #5

	On July 20, 1969 Neil Alden Armstrong (Commander) became the first man to walk on 
the moon. Descending to the moon surface he said, "That's one small step for man, one 
giant leap for mankind." Edwin Eugene 'Buzz' Aldrin (Lunar Module Pilot) joined him and 
they spent two and one-half hours collecting samples, doing experiments and taking 
photographs.  Michael Collins (Command Module Pilot) orbited above the lunar surface in 
the Columbia spacecraft.
	On July 24, 1969 the three astronauts returned to Earth. After being released from a 
21-day quarantine, they embarked on another journey.  The celebrations began in New York 
City on August 14, 1969 with a massive tickertape parade along the "Canyon of Heroes," 
Broadway and Park Avenue to City Hall and United Nations headquarters.  
	The US victory lap continued westward with a huge party with President Nixon and many 
Hollywood stars at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles CA.  President Richard Nixon 
authorized their use of the presidential aircraft (Boeing VC-137B - modified 707, tail 
number 86970) for this round-the-world astronaut Goodwill Tour designated as "Project 
Giantstep" and dubbed the "Giant Leap" tour.  
	From September 29 through November 5, 1969 the astronauts and their wives made 
landings in 24 worldwide cities with mostly overnight visits. At least 100 million people 
saw the space crew and as many as 25,000 shook their hands including Pope Paul VI.
	"Air Force One" is the air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force 
aircraft carrying the President of the United States. Colonel Ralph Albertazzie was the 
Aircraft Commander of President Nixon's Boeing VC-137B and Lieutenant Colonel Carl A Peden 
was second in Command. For the first leg of this Astronaut Goodwill RTW Tour, Lt Col Peden
was the Aircraft Commander with Major David H Shaw and Major Lester C McClelland as
co-pilots. 
	The "Giant Leap" 37 day round-the-world flight tour ended with an overnight stay at 
the Nixon White House. Shortly thereafter Armstrong set off again, this time as a special 
guest on Bob Hope's 1969 USO tour with stops in Germany, Italy, Turkey, Taiwan, Guam and 
Thailand as well as Vietnam.	
	  

Itinerary:

Departed Washington DC            09/29/69
  01 Mexico City, Mexico          09/29-30/69
  02 Bogota, Columbia	          09/30-10/01/69 
     Brasilia                     10/01/69
  03 Buenos Aires, Argentina      10/01-02/69
  04 Rio de Janeio, Brazil        10/02-04/69 
  05 Las Palmas, Canary Islands   10/04-06/69
  06 Madrid, Spain                10/06-08/69 
  07 Paris, France                10/08-09/69 
  08 Amsterdam, Netherlands       10/09/69
  09 Brussels, Belgium            10/09-10/69
  10 Oslo, Norway                 10/10-12/69 
  11 Bonn, Germany                10/12/69
     West Berlin, Germany         10/12-14/69
  12 London, England	          10/14-15/69
  13 Rome, Italy                  10/15-18/69 
     Vatican                      10/16/69
  14 Belgrade, Yugoslavia         10/18-20/69
  15 Ankara, Turkey               10/20-22/69
  16 Kinshasa, Zaire              10/22-24/69
  17 Bombay, India                10/24-25/69  
  18 Dacca, Bangladesh            10/25-26/69
  19 Bangkok, Thailand            10/26-28/69
  20 Tehran, Iran                 10/28-31/69
     Perth, Australia             10/31/69
  21 Sydney, Australia            10/31-11/02/69
  22 Agana, Guam                  11/02-03/69
  23 Seoul, South Korea           11/03-04/69
  24 Tokyo, Japan                 11/04-05/69
     Elmendorf AFB Alaska         11/05/69  
Arrived Washington DC             11/05/69

Crew for first half of the World Tour (from Washington DC to Rome): 
Lt Col Carl A Peden, Aircraft Commander
Maj David H Shaw, co-pilot 
Maj Lester C McClelland, co-pilot 
Capt Adolph C Zerumsky, Navigator 
S/Sgt Walter Battic, Guard 
M/Sgt James H Brown, Steward 
S/Sgt Larry N Coleman, Guard 
S/Sgt Errol E Devore, Guard 
M/Sg William W Gibbs Jr, Flight Engineer 
T/Sgt John R Jester, Guard 
M/Sgt Larry L Kerns, Flight Engineer 
M/Sgt Robert A Koehler, Radio Operator 
S/Sgt Eugene L Munger, Steward 
S/Sgt George R Phillips, Guard 
M/Sgt Robert A Rouse, Steward 
M/Sgt Darrell F Skinner, Radio Operator 
M/Sgt Buddie L Vise, Steward 
M/Sgt Doyle G Whitehead, Steward 

Additional Crew for second half of the World Tour (from Rome to Washington DC): 
Maj Kenneth L Cox, Aircraft Commander 
Maj Frank O Pusey, Aircraft Commander 
Maj Robert W Pollard, Aircraft Commander 
Maj Donald F McKeown, Navigator 
M/Sgt William A Scholl, Flight Engineer 
M/Sgt Donald E Caton, Flight Engineer

Passengers on the World Tour:
Neil A Armstrong & wife, Janet
Michael Collins & wife, Patricia
Edwin E "Buzz" Aldrin Jr & wife, Joan 

Support personnel:
Howard G Allaway, Public Affairs Office, Office of Manned Space Flight, NASA 
Geneva B Barnes, Secretary to Director, Public Events Division, Office of Public Affairs, NASA 
Simon E Bourgin, Science Advisor, US Information Agency (USIA), Office of Policy and Plans 
Dr William R Carpentier, Flight Support Officer for Apollo Preventive Medicine Office, NASA 
Joan Carroll, Secretary to the Assistant Chief of Protocol, Department of State 
William Der Bing, Deputy Chief, Special Events Office, Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA
Robert B Flanagan, Senior Security Specialist, NASA 
Richard Friedman, Information Officer for International Affairs, NASA 
Joseph Kidwell, Protocol Assistant, Office of Public Affairs, NASA 
Charles G Maguire, Staff Assistant to Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations, Department of State 
L Nicholas Ruwe, Assistant Chief of Protocol, Department of State
Wade St Clair, Director, Public Events Division, Office of Public Affairs, NASA 
Julian Scheer, Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs, NASA 
Elton Stepherson Jr, Special Assistant to the Area Director for the Near East and South Asia, USIA 
William P Taub, Visual Information Officer, Office of Public Affairs, NASA 
Herbert Oldenbeg, Department of State 
Thoreau Willat, Voice of America 
Edward S Hickey, Voice of America 
Enrique Gonzales-Reguerra, Voice of America
Petro Luis Kattah, Voice of America


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