Everyone's Gone to the Moon: July 1969, Life on Earth, and the Epic Voyage of Apollo 11

by Joe Cuhaj

Much has been written about the legendary flight of Apollo 11 and mankind’s first tentative steps into deep space. It’s often said that the world stopped, watching in awe as the crew of Apollo 11 completed their mission. It is true that in that moment, almost everyone had virtually gone to the moon as people around the world gazed in wonderment at the grainy black-and-white images of Neil Armstrong taking that first step onto the surface of another world. But that was a fleeting moment and just as quickly, the moment was gone– wars raged on, protestors filled the streets, and average Americans went back to their daily lives. Everyone’s Gone to the Moon is a week-by-week journey through July 1969, one of the most pivotal months in human history – in space and here on Earth. This unique book follows the crew of Apollo 11 and NASA as they prepare for the historic first lunar landing alongside the major global events buried beneath headlines covering the historic space mission. Interwoven with the story of Apollo 11 are the events on our home planet that made an equally important impact on who we were then and who we are the Life of Prince Charles was threatened by a terrorist attack in Wales; the storm dubbed the Ohio Fireworks Derecho ripped through the Midwest, killing dozens; the assassination of Kenyan Economic Minister Tom Myoba (of which Barack Obama Sr. was a key witness) undercut a nation just learning to stand on its own; Senator Ted Kennedy was involved in a mysterious accident in Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts; ARPANET, the first real “Internet” was unveiled; Monty Python was born; John Lennon and Paul McCartney released “Give Peace a Chance” during escalated Vietnam War tensions; Midnight Cowboy stunned the Academy Awards; and much more. Meanwhile, NASA was still scrambling. Everyone’s Gone to the Moon features little known behind-the-scenes stories of the moon landing like how NASA had to grapple with media, the technical issues that still plagued the lunar module, and how the prior crew of Apollo 10 suffered incredible itching from their spacesuits that needed correcting before Apollo 11 could even be launched. This deep dive into the Apollo 11 mission’s most crucial weeks and the little-known and rarely remembered events occurring simultaneously back on Earth gives a vivid new perspective to the month that launched humanity into the future. ,

262 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2023

About the author

Joe Cuhaj is a former radio broadcaster turned author and freelance writer. He began his radio career following his enlistment in the Navy at a station just outside of New York City -W.W.U.U. - in 1980 then moved to Mobile in 1981 with his wife who is from the Port City. His radio career flourished as he worked for the next several years a different stations.

Joe fell in love with Alabama’s bio-diversity and continued one of his favorite pastimes, hiking and backpacking. In 2000, he combined his love of hiking and writing and penned his first book, Hiking Alabama. Since then, Joe has written several outdoor recreation books for Falcon Guides. His outdoor writings can also be found on RootsRated.Com.

Joe left radio and became a software programmer but continued his passion for writing. In addition to outdoor recreation, Joe has a love and passion for history which he had a chance to delve into when he co-authored Baseball in Mobile for Arcadia Publishing and a look at some uknown history from Mobile in his book, Hidden History of Mobile.. He has also written historical articles and web content for several sites and publications on a wide variety of subjects, and falling back on his radio career, he has produced a number of humorous short story podcasts that can be heard on his website, www.joe-cuhaj.com.

Reviews

[Debbioconnor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I clearly remember sitting with my family in the living room to watch the Apollo 11 astronaut, Neil Armstrong, take the first steps of mankind on the moon. I also remember having a scrapbook of Apollo 11 articles from the newspaper, as well as building a plastic model of the lunar module. However, the surrounding events in that momentous summer of 1969 were less clear in my memories until Joe Cuhaj’s newest book brought them back to life. From simply being one of those youngsters who cut out the 45 from the cereal box of the Archie’s hit, “Sugar, Sugar,” to the more serious and depressing nightly news totals of servicemen killed in Vietnam, Mr. Cuhaj’s book brought back so many memories of that time surrounding our country’s accomplishment of landing on the moon. The tone and texture of this book was so smooth and engaging, and this reader particularly found pleasure in learning new snippets from that time in the end of the chapter footnotes. A well-done book to remind us all of what was felt at that time in history, how important scientific research is, and how that walk on the moon made us all unite and forget other issues for that one moment.

[John Galluzzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first moon landing is treated historically as a great triumph, often bathed in a tremendous glow that can never be dimmed. Everybody was happy, right? The moon landing represented the one moment in time - July of 1969 - when the world came together as one and celebrated, right?

Author Joe Cuhaj reminds us all that no, this was not the case whatsoever. America was (and isn't it always?) at a crossroads. Deep schisms existed. Money, many believed, targeted for NASA and the Apollo missions could be better spent elsewhere, on feeding, clothing, housing, educating our own friends and neighbors. Some people grumbled about it. Some rioted. The fact that the Apollo 11 mission went off at such a time of civil unrest was nothing short of miraculous, "miracles" being another trend in the moment. See the 1969 New York Mets.

The dichotomous nature of the moment could be heard in the voices of the day. One American stated that America landing men on the moon made her feel like her generation could do anything. Conversely, the moment gave rise to the notion - still used in 2023 that, "They can put a man on the moon, but they cant..." For many Americans, it was that "they" - the government - could not get their soldiers out of Vietnam and a war that would ultimately claim 50,000 American lives.

The author takes us through that one month in time. We explore music, serial killers, international conflicts, race, gender, gender identity and yes, even the baseball miracle in the making in Flushing, New York. Perhaps most fun of all, Cuhaj brings us into the homes of average Americans and tells personal stories of the day, the common America's perspective of July 1969.