“You’re going to get a concept that maybe this really is one world and why the hell can’t we learn to live together like decent people.” ~ Astronaut Frank Borman, on seeing the entire earth from outer space as he and the crew of the Apollo 8 returned from orbiting the moon.
- photo from Wikipedia
The second mission of the US Apollo space program, Apollo 6, launched on April 4, 1968, as an unmanned test of the Saturn V launch vehicle. The Saturn V burned more fuel in one second than Lindbergh used to cross the Atlantic.
The objective of the launch was to indicate that a flight to the Moon was a possibility; in fact, the Apollo 11 mission landed two men on the Moon in 1969.
There was little press coverage of the launch. On the same day, April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee.
BONUS MUSIC!
This song ended up at #98 on Billboard’s Year-End Hot 100 Singles of 1968
“Bend Me, Shape Me” by The American Breed
This was really interesting, I didn’t know Apollo 6 launches on the same day Martin Luther King Jnr was shot. I love the Bend Me, Shape Me song. Always associate it with cheese strings because of a popular advert in the 90s in the UK.
Oh, I didn’t know that about “Bend Me, Shape Me” – funny!
I LOOOOOVE that song! I live in Memphis so we are having so many amazing celebrations, marches, and special days and “moments of…” lately.
Thanks, Allison. 1968 was a year with plenty of difficulty, so I added the songs. Balance!
That was a remarkable achievement. My how things have changed.
😱 Yes.
Martha,
Apollo 6 launched on my mother’s 23rd birthday. I wasn’t even 7 at the time. Cool bit of trivia. I do remember “Bend Me, Shape Me”. Thanks for popping in to check out my first post in the A2Z Challenge. Happy A2Zing, my friend!
Direct post for the letter “A” Curious as a Cathy
I remembered Martin Luther King getting shot, but just vaguely. Same with the rocket launch. I think I was nine. The 1960’s is a cool time to revisit. I’ll be remembering along with you Mz. Martha 😉
Thank you, Patti. I learned a lot doing this theme!
Hi Martha – totally endorse Boorman’s quote – so appropriate today. I hadn’t realised about that first mission Apollo 6 … but realise Martin Luther King’s shooting would mostly obliterate other news. Cheers Hilary
Yes, exactly, Hilary. King’s assassination eclipsed all other events.
Two big events same day, one eclipsing the other. What a day in history. Thank you for covering this subject, Martha. I will be looking forward to you AZs. Happy Easter!
Happy Easter, Silvia. I hope you had a good day.
Great start to this year’s challenge, Martha.
Thanks, Wendy. I hope it’s informative and entertaining!
I had forgotten that Apollo 6 and Dr. King’s assassination happened the same day. (I had just turned 12 the week before, by the way.) The American Breed was a Chicago band that became Rufus (I know you knew that). As you can probably guess, “Bend Me Shape Me” did a whole lot better there…
Thanks for that information, John! I turned 10 that summer, so a lot of my research turned into lessons, too.
Martha, Great start for the A-Z! I love the Frank Borman quote as well. Very Good song; those first music videos crack me up so much. It’s a 3-way tie for what is the funniest; the electric guitars not plugged into anything, or the teenage girls screaming every 30 seconds on cue, or, and I think this is my favorite…… the drummer not actually playing the drums is now actually not playing the trumpet! Awesome! Bring on 1968!
I loved the trumpet! So much lip-syncing…
How different life would be if we were all able to have Frank Borman’s experience. I’m pretty sure we’d share his sentiment.
Congrats on a great start, Martha. Looking forward to reading more.
Thank you, Karen. I liked that quote so much that I start each of the A to Z blogs with it. A gentle reminder. Happy Easter!
Can’t wait to see more memories from when I was a mere child . . .
Thank you, Denise! It was a good experience to go back (I was 10). I learned a lot.