Portage County Legal News

Bill would rename part of road to honor Neil Armstrong

TIFFANY L. PARKS
Special to the Legal News
Published: September 3, 2015

Attorney Jack Hedges of the Lebanon City Council has joined Sen. Shannon Jones in pushing for the passage of a bill that would designate a stretch of State Route 123 within Warren County as the Neil Armstrong Memorial Highway.

The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 131, is sponsored by Sen. Shannon Jones.

“Neil Armstrong, without question, is one of the greatest Americans to have lived during our lifetimes and his contributions to the United States and Ohio is without compare and immeasurable,” Hedges said.

Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, was born Aug. 5, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio on his grandparent’s farm.

His father was an auditor for the state of Ohio. At age 6, he took his first flight in Warren and at 16, he was studying for his pilot’s license.

In testimony before the Senate Transportation, Commerce and Labor Committee, Jones, R-Springboro said Armstrong received a scholarship from the U.S. Navy to study aeronautical engineering at Purdue University.

In 1949, he was called to active duty during the Korean War. He served as a U.S. Navy Pilot and flew 78 combat missions.

“After his dedicated service in the military, he returned to Ohio and joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the predecessor of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (or) NASA program,” Jones said.

During his time with these programs, Armstrong served as an engineer, test pilot and administrator.

In 1962, he began intensive training to fly space missions and commanded his first one in 1966.

“In 1969, Neil Armstrong made that fateful flight on Apollo 11 with Michael Collins and Edwin E. ‘Buzz’ Aldrin,” Jones said. “On July 20, Neil Armstrong exited the lunar module to take his first steps on the moon. There he said that iconic and timeless statement: ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’”

After navigating space, Armstrong returned to Ohio.

He became a professor at the University of Cincinnati and taught in the school’s aerospace engineering department for eight years.

“After his time in space, he was a relatively reclusive man who enjoyed simple time with family and work,” Jones said.

“Neil Armstrong was a man who lived by his iconic words. His first step brought pride to our country at a pivotal time. His dedication and hard work was not for individual spotlight and glory, but rather for mankind. He is an inspirational hero for our children to remember every time they look to the moon.”

The city of Lebanon has advocated for the portion of State Route 123 between Red Lion and Hart Road in Lebanon to be dedicated to Armstrong.

The proposed location was chosen because Armstrong resided along State Route 123 between Lebanon and Springboro for more than a decade.

“He was active and involved in our community and endeared himself to its citizens,” Hedge said.

Jones previously introduced the proposed legislation as Senate Bill 363 in the last General Assembly.

The lawmaker described Armstrong as the “embodiment of an American hero and arguably one of the greatest Ohioans of our generation.”

“He is best known as the man who took the first steps on the moon, but he also took his first and last steps in our great state,” she said.

“From the day he was born to his last day on Aug. 25, 2012, Neil Armstrong was a dedicated Ohioan who will always be remembered as an American hero.”

Hedges thanked the legislature for considering SB 131.

“I think we would be remiss if we didn’t take this opportunity and occasion to remember and memorialize such a great American, Ohioan and Warren Countian,” he said.

SB 131 is co-sponsored by Sens. Bill Seitz, Frank LaRose, Jim Hughes, John Eklund, Bill Beagle, Randy Gardner, Capri Cafaro, Michael Skindell and Kenny Yuko.

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