Neil Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in a small town called Wapakoneta, Ohio. Even as a little boy 🎵, he was fascinated by airplanes. Whenever he saw one flying overhead 🎵, he would stop and watch it until it disappeared from sight. When Neil was just six years old, he took his very first airplane ride 🎵. Sitting by the window and peering down at the world below, he felt a rush of excitement 🎵 and knew, right then, that he wanted to fly one day.

As a teenager, Neil’s dream of flying grew stronger. He began taking flying lessons and worked extra jobs to pay for them—no chore was too small or boring if it got him closer to the cockpit of an airplane. His efforts paid off when he finally earned his pilot’s license at the age of 16—before he even had a driver’s license! That meant he could legally fly a plane before he could drive a car. People were amazed by his determination, but Neil stayed humble and focused on what he loved most: flying.

After high school, Neil decided to study aeronautical engineering at Purdue University. He wanted to learn all about how airplanes worked, and how to build them even better. But his country soon needed him, too. Neil joined the U.S. Navy and trained to be a fighter pilot during the Korean War. Despite the dangers he faced, he showed both courage and skill, earning respect from his fellow pilots. When the war ended, Neil continued to push the limits of flight as a test pilot, flying experimental aircraft to incredible heights and speeds 🎵.