Neil Armstrong

Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut, aeronautical engineer, naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. He is best known for being the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969. Armstrong was born and raised in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue University under the Holloway Plan, with the U.S. Navy covering his tuition. After serving in the Korean War, he completed his bachelor's degree and became a test pilot at the NACA High-Speed Flight Station. He flew the North American X-15 seven times and was a project pilot on Century Series fighters. Armstrong was also involved in the U.S. Air Force's Man in Space Soonest and X-20 Dyna-Soar human spaceflight programs.