Comments on: Neil Armstrong Sky Pilot http://tucsoncitizen.com/retroflections/2012/08/28/neil-armstrong-sky-pilot/ Go down memory lane with Retroflections Tue, 29 Oct 2013 01:30:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Freethought_Arizona http://tucsoncitizen.com/retroflections/2012/08/28/neil-armstrong-sky-pilot/#comment-9212 Freethought_Arizona Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:03:00 +0000 http://tucsoncitizen.com/retroflections/?p=768#comment-9212 Tyler,
It was a memorable day. I was traveling with the family across the country in our gold 1967 Chevrolet Impala Station wagon that we bought used in New Jersey. We were an Air Force family returning from a two year tour in Goose Bay, Labrador and visiting relatives and my girl friend as we made our way to my dad’s next assignment in Sunnyvale, California. We visited relatives in Little Rock Arkansas earlier in the trip and stopped in to visit my girlfriend in Omaha, Nebraska on the 19th. On the 20th, we were resumed our trip towards Pocatello, Idaho. Just outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming the Chevy spun a wheel bearing. We limped into town but it was difficult to find a repair facility because President Nixon declared the day “Moon Day”–a national holiday. So we were in an hotel room in Jackson Hole, Wyoming watching the landing while dad scrambled to get the car fixed. Luckily, he found a place and we made it to Pocatello the next day. Such are the memories…

It was good to see an article and spend a few minutes remembering the events. I must point out, however, that being a military man he might not appreciate being called a “Sky Pilot.” It doesn’t mean what you think it does. A “sky pilot” is slang for military chaplain. Eric Burdon and the Animals had a great song called “Sky Pilot” in 1968 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69zvFnVa03g). They sang of a man that blessed the soldiers before a battle then returned to his cot to contemplate all the good that he did. Almost all references to “sky pilot” going back to 1890 refer to religion and preachers.

He blesses the boys
As they stand in line
The smell of gun grease
And the bayonets they shine
He’s there to help them
All that he can
To make them feel wanted
He’s a good holy man

]]> By: Ernie_McCray http://tucsoncitizen.com/retroflections/2012/08/28/neil-armstrong-sky-pilot/#comment-9210 Ernie_McCray Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:44:00 +0000 http://tucsoncitizen.com/retroflections/?p=768#comment-9210 I remember that I couldn’t wait for school to start so I could discuss this amazing event with students who I knew would be as excited as I was.

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