When Neil Armstrong died Aug. 25, we lost another American hero. Armstrong was never a person terribly comfortable in the limelight, a self-professed “white-sock, pocket-protector, nerdy engineer.”

But he inspired a generation by bravely carrying out a bold mission to the moon, along with Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. It was a hallmark of human achievement, of American achievement in the 20th century.

I received a letter this week from Gay White of Waterman, who wrote, “Who of us really can look up at a beautiful full moon and not revel in the fact that our American flag flies there?”