August 30, 2012

GOV. MALLOY DIRECTS FLAGS TO FLY HALF-STAFF FRIDAY IN MEMORY OF ASTRONAUT NEIL ARMSTRONG

Presidential Proclamation Orders Flags Down on Friday

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy, in accordance with a proclamation from President Barack Obama , has directed U.S. and Connecticut flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday, August 31, in memory of Astronaut Neil Armstrong, who died at age 82.

"Commander Armstrong and his contemporaries united this nation in exploration and discovery. The world watched as he stepped onto the moon and, in doing so, reinvigorated pride in our national space program and U.S. innovation," said Governor Malloy. "Commander Armstrong leaves an extraordinary legacy of service to the country. Beginning with his duty in the Navy and culminating with his post-space flight work in higher education, he was committed to American progress. We stand with his family and friends in mourning the loss of an American hero."

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said, "Neil Armstrong represented the very best of what America is all about - an explorer without equal and a true hero who remained ever humble and let his incredible talents and accomplishments speak for themselves. He was an inspiration to us all when he stepped on the moon, and his legacy will continue to inspire us for generations to come."

Armstrong served in the U.S. Navy and commanded the 1969 Apollo 11 Lunar Landing Mission, which put the first man on the moon. He was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and the Congressional Gold Medal. A private funeral service for Armstrong is scheduled for Friday.

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For Immediate Release: August 30, 2012

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