Neil Armstrong Death: Former U. S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died. A family statement said the 82-year-old icon died Saturday in his home state of Ohio, following a cardiovascular procedure earlier this month.

Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon on July 20, 1969.  After stepping on the lunar surface he sent the historic message: "that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  As an enthralled world looked on, Armstrong spent nearly three hours walking on the moon with fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.

Weeks later, Armstrong, Aldrin and the mission's third astronaut, Michael Collins, received a thunderous welcome with ticker-tape parades in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.  They later made a world tour.