Nixon Now Podcast

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the historic moon landing. To commemorate this occasion, the Nixon Library has a new, exciting and interactive exhibit throughout the year. It’s called Apollo 11: One Giant Leap for Mankind. Our guest today on this edition of the Nixon Now podcast not only witnessed the Apollo 11 Splashdown in the South Pacific 50 years ago. He participated in it as a young U.S. Navy lieutenant aboard the nearby USS Arlington. His name is Jeryl Cordell. Mr. Cordell spent 21 years in the U.S. Navy. He took part in the all nuclear powered task force aboard the USS South Carolina; he was the tactical digital data links branch head for the US Commander in Chief of Pacific Command in Hawaii; and worked for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in the National Military Command Center — otherwise known as the “War Room. " He was on duty the day that President Reagan was shot. His story about the Apollo events was recently featured in The San Diego Union Tribune. Interview by Jonathan