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Neil Armstrong, Eagle Scout of Troop 14 in Wapakoneta, was first to walk on moon
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Perhaps the most recognizable and often mentioned Eagle Scout in the history of the Boy Scouts of America, Neil Armstrong had humble origins, and the Old Sycamore District and Black Swamp Area Council are proud call him one of our Eagles.
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Armstrong’s family has strong roots in this area and he was born near Wapakoneta, but Neil’s early life was frequently on the move, following his father’s job across the state of Ohio. Among other places, Neil spent a significant amount of time living in Warren, in Northeast Ohio.
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It wasn’t until he was 11 and living in Upper Sandusky, OH, that Neil joined the Scouting Movement. Neil and his friends were founding members of Troop 25 in Upper Sandusky and Neil was the diligent scribe for that Troop until his family moved to Wapakoneta a few years later.
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When in Wapak, Neil joined Troop 14 chartered to St Paul’s United Church of Christ, resumed his Scouting career, and attended our very own Camp Lakota in Defiance. During this time, Neil fed his passion for flight by saving up his money doing small jobs and then using it to buy flight time in New Knoxville.
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Neil graduated from Blume High School in Wapakoneta young and began attending Purdue University at the tender age of 17. It was actually during his first year in college that Neil completed the requirements and his Board of Review for his Eagle rank on December 24, 1947.
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After Neil completed his famous walk on the moon, he was quickly awarded the Silver Buffalo, a highly prestigious award at the National level, in May 1970. Two years later, on July 20, 1972, our council officially rechristined the southern half of Camp Lakota as, “Camp Neil Armstrong,” in his honor.
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We are very proud of our Eagle for carving out such an important part of history. Information for this article can be attributed to First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong by James R. Hansen, Bryan on Scouting, the Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta, the Black Swamp Area Council, BSA, and other local sources.
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Troop 14’s Recharter paperwork from 1949 listing Neil as an “Associate Scout” during his time in college.
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Neil’s Scout hat and Silver Buffalo award certificate
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