On July 16, 1969, NASA’s Apollo 11 mission kicked off with a bang when a Saturn V rocket launched from Kennedy Space Center, sending astronauts to the moon. As the lunar module made its way to the moon’s surface, America was already making official preparations for their return.
The U.S. Navy played a critical role in their safe landing. The USS Hornet, one of the Navy’s ships, readied itself in the Pacific Ocean. On board the Hornet stood the U.S. Navy Band. Their mission? As officials retrieved the astronauts after splashdown, the band played music to commemorate the mission’s grand success.
‘The Eagle Has Landed’
The success of the Apollo 11 mission remains one of America’s crowning achievements. It was the vision of President John F. Kennedy. During a speech at Rice University in September 1962, he declared in front of 40,000 attendees, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” A year after Kennedy made his awe-inspiring announcement, he was tragically assassinated in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
On a balmy, summer day on July 16, 1969 at 9:32 a.m., many Americans thought of Kennedy’s legacy as they witnessed his vision take flight headed for the heavens.
Though there three astronauts were on board the rocket, only two took the famous first steps on the moon. As their command module approached their intended destination, near the moon’s “Sea of Tranquility,” Neil Armstrong (1930–2012) and Buzz Aldrin (born 1930) readied the lunar module for landing. Astronaut Michael Collins (1930–2021) stayed behind and remained in control of the command module.
The Apollo 11 mission and the rocket launch brought Americans together to revel in their country’s inspiring message: The sky was no longer the limit.
It is estimated that 1 million spectators personally viewed the liftoff. It’s one of television’s most-watched events, with about 650 million worldwide viewers tuned in to witness Armstrong take his first step on the moon.
Later, when Mr. Aldrin reflected on the mission’s success, he said, “Apollo is the story of people at their best, working together for a common goal. We started with a dream, and we can do these kinds of things again. With a united effort and a great team, you too can achieve great things. I know, because I am living proof that no dream is too high!”
Armstrong gave Americans the first of what would be two memorable quotes when the lunar module landed on the moon on July 20. After telling Mission Control that “The Eagle has landed,” hours later, on July 21, he became the first person to walk on the moon. With his first steps, he uttered the words that went down in history—words that perfectly expressed the dynamic nature of the Apollo 11 mission:
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Mr. Aldrin and Armstrong spent two and a half hours exploring the moon’s grounds, collecting samples, and conducting experiments.
When they boarded the lunar module for takeoff, they made a mental note of the plaque left on the moon. Its inscription read, “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”
They linked back up with Collins in the command module and embarked on the final leg of their mission, a safe return home.
On July 24, after eight days in space, the astronauts reentered Earth’s atmosphere.
A Great Experiment
Many viewed the Apollo 11 mission as experimental, but America itself might be called that. As far back as America’s founding, George Washington called the country a “great experiment.” Just as the moon landing created a wave of rekindled patriotism among Americans, the country’s fledgling years yielded a universal patriotism that gave way to song after song honoring the freest country in the world.
One of those songs, “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean,” embodied the freedom, triumph, and patriotism that Americans associated with the young, visionary country.
Though it was a popular song throughout the mid-to-late-19th century, its origins are murky. It was written around 1843, and its author has always been somewhat debatable. Philadelphia composer Thomas a’Becket Sr. (1808–1890) is said to hold the original, handwritten manuscript. He supposedly wrote it for a fellow musician-friend, David Shaw, who asked a’Becket to write a song for an upcoming concert. Publishing house owner George Willig published a version of the song before anyone else, but because a’Becket had the original manuscript, experts have agreed in the past that he is the original composer.
Originally titled, “Columbia, the Land of the Brave,” the upbeat number personifies America’s essence, making use of the founding “Columbia” character, a female symbol of the country’s freedom. The tune shares similarities to a British counterpart, “Britannia, the Pride of the Ocean.” Though some scholars suggest the British tune was written first, others such as librarian William Studwell (1936–2010) believe that “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean” was written first, partly because its print dates are older than its rival British song.
The tune was one of several patriotic songs popular at the time, especially throughout Abraham Lincoln’s term. It was once considered to be America’s unofficial anthem, and it was one of the front-runners for becoming an official anthem. In 1931, however, Congress officially made “The Star-Spangled Banner” America’s song of choice.
Despite this, Studwell once stated the song is the, “oldest well-known song of entirely American origin which could, by style or content, qualify as a national anthem.”
‘A Brilliant Jewel in the Black Velvet Sky’
As President Nixon boarded the USS Hornet, television sets across America once again tuned in to a live feed of the astronauts. This time, they watched with bated breath as the crew splashed down in the Pacific. The ship’s helicopter and Navy swimmers were close by to retrieve the pilots from their floating module.
As the mission came to a victorious close, those on board the USS Hornet breathed a sigh of relief. Then, the Navy Band turned the mood from serious to jovial as they played the first notes of a rousing rendition of “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.”
The song was the perfect fit for the momentous occasion. The command module that had acted as the astronauts’ home away from home bobbed gently in the Pacific Ocean. It was named “Columbia.” Like the song, it paid tribute to the country’s foundational years.
Later, when Mr. Aldrin was asked about the view of Earth from space, he gave a poetic answer, saying, “It was a brilliant jewel in the black velvet sky.”
When speaking about the vision it took to commit to something as seemingly improbable as landing on a foreign celestial body, Armstrong eloquently stated, “There are great ideas undiscovered, breakthroughs available to those who can remove one of truth’s protective layers. There are places to go beyond belief.”
From America’s fledgling years to the historic moon landing, “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean” represents the triumph of both of these great experiments. The patriotic song also represents the triumph felt when looking back on America and all the country has accomplished over a short 248 years.
