Neil Armstrong, the moon and Miss Universe

 NEIL Armstrong, who led the Apollo 11 spacecraft and became the first man to set foot on the moon, has died from complications after heart surgery.

The day  man landed on the moon, Miss Gloria Diaz of the Philippines won the Miss Universe title.  In July 1969, Armstrong commanded the Apollo team, which included Aldrin and pilot Michael Collins, that went to the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the lunar surface, landing in the dry Sea of Tranquility. Their lunar module touched down with about 30 seconds of fuel remaining. Armstrong radioed their safe arrival back to NASA. "Houston, Tranquility Base here — the Eagle has landed," he said. Seven hours later, he stepped out of the spacecraft and down onto the moon itself, speaking his historic words.

When Gloria Diaz was asked " If the man on the moon should come down to Earth and visit your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?, " the 18-year-old petite Bb. Pilipinas-Universe answered, “Why, I guess I would do for him what I always do. Since he has been away on the moon for so long, he would want a change.”

That, among other winning qualities, helped Gloria Diaz clinch for the Philippines its first ever Miss Universe crown (followed four years later, in 1973, by Margie Moran in Greece). Soon after, US Pres. Richard Nixon came for a visit and he mentioned in his speech, “Americawas conquered the moon but the Philippines conquered the universe.”