posted 06-01-2009 08:44 PM               

According to a report by the Tampa Bay, Fla., Fox-affiliate, Black could find proof of her claim if she could inspect the flag on the Moon.

And all the way back on Earth, Dolores had a secret about that flag that no one else knew.

"Right before I sewed this webbing," Dolores says, pointing to a photo of the flag on the moon, "that's where I signed my name."

Although the report finds that "it is uncertain who manufactured the flag that was deployed by the Apollo 11 crew," the citations agree that the flown flag was bought off-the-shelf, either from a local store or through a government stock catalog.

According to a NASA Press Release of 3 July 1969, "the Stars and Stripes to be deployed on the Moon was purchased along with several others made by different manufacturers at stores in the area around the Manned Spacecraft Center near Houston. In order to attach the flag properly to its aluminum staff it was necessary to remove the binding and labels. For this reason the name of the manufacturer cannot be determined." (NASA Press Release 69-83E, 3 July 1969, on file at the JSC History Office).

In his book, "All We Did Was Fly to the Moon," (Gainesville, FL: Whispering Eagle Press, 1988), p. 121, Dick Lattimer states that the flags that went to the moon were made by Annin & Co. Randy Beard, Sr., of Annin contacted the Public Affairs Office at NASA Headquarters regarding the flag shortly after the moon landing. His company had supplied many flags to NASA throughout the manned space flight program.

Beard was told that three secretaries had been sent out to buy 3x5-foot nylon flags during their lunch hours. After they had returned it was discovered that all of them had purchased their flags at Sears. Annin was the official flag supplier for Sears at the time so this story seemed to confirm that the flag had been made by Annin.

Beard was informed that NASA would not confirm the manufacturer of the flag because they didn't "want another Tang" — in other words, the agency did not want another advertising campaign based upon the fact that a commercial product had been used by the astronauts. (Randy Beard, Sr., Annin & Co., personal communication, 24 August 1992 and 10 September 1992.)

Jack Kinzler was unable to verify that the flags were purchased at local stores or that the labels were removed. His notes indicate that the flags were purchased from the Government Stock Catalog for $5.50. (Kinzler, interview, 30 August 1992.)

Manatee Community College in Florida has an art exhibit dedicated to Dolores Black, called "Black Flag on the Moon." The exhibit runs through June 18 and will run for an additional four weeks starting in late August.

Unfortunately, the truth may never be known. As described by Tony Reichhardt in the September 2008 issue of Air & Space Magazine, "the flag is probably gone."

Buzz Aldrin saw it knocked over by the rocket blast as he and Neil Armstrong left the moon 39 summers ago. Lying there in the lunar dust, unprotected from the sun's harsh ultraviolet rays, the flag's red and blue would have bleached white in no time. Over the years, the nylon would have turned brittle and disintegrated.

Photo credit: NASA

posted 06-02-2009 02:20 PM               

Because the final decision to fly the flag and attach the plaque was made so close to the launch date, a Lear jet was chartered to fly Kinzler, George Low (Manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program), Low's secretary, the flag assembly, and the commemorative plaque to KSC before the launch. The flag and plaque were installed on the LM of Apollo 11 at 4:00 in the morning as the spacecraft sat atop its Saturn V rocket ready for launch. Kinzler had written an 11-step procedure for mounting the assembly on the ladder and personally supervised the installation.

posted 06-03-2009 04:30 PM               

With respect to the seamstress, it would be nice to think that NASA planned the American flag long before the mission and I do think that if she was the creator of the flag NASA would have given her the recognition she deserves. That would be quite an honor.

posted 09-21-2009 11:09 PM               

Lot 419: The prototype United States Lunar Flag, identical to that left on the lunar surface by the Apollo 11 crew, was the first prototype of the U.S. flag developed by Johnson Spaceflight Center Technical Services for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to plant on the lunar surface. It consists of a gold-anodized, two-part pole (96") with a fold out nylon flag measuring 59"x35". A fold-out gold-anodized horizontal bar across the top of the flag holds the unfurled flag when opened. As far as we know, this is one of only two examples of NASA lunar flags on earth.

posted 07-01-2015 11:21 AM               

The town of Rhodhiss has gone so far as putting the claim on their official seal and road signs.

posted 04-02-2019 09:40 PM               

(There were also workers inside the S-II stage as late as T-minus 2 hours, 10 minutes tightening a leaky valve.)

posted 04-02-2019 11:41 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
There were also workers inside the S-II stage as late as T-minus 2 hours, 10 minutes tightening a leaky valve.

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They were inside the S-II? I thought they were outside! Crikey.

posted 04-06-2019 05:13 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by apolloengr:
I find it hard to believe that at T-5...

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posted 04-09-2019 02:41 PM               

In March, Sigmon convened a meeting of 25 former employees to figure out what everyone remembered. Some of the workers hadn't seen each other in years. It was a nice reunion. They remembered that their mill, for a time, made flag fabric, and that it was a supplier to hundreds of companies and agencies, including NASA. And all of them, every single one, remembered the posting on the bulletin board. It told them about the Apollo 11 flag, and its fabric. Their fabric. This story wasn't just a rumor. It wasn't hearsay. It wasn't a joke. It came from the company itself.