Massapequa Resident Interviewed for Apollo 11 Anniversary Special

Massapequa resident Ernest Finamore, a former Grumman employee was interviewed by WABC-TV for the role he played in helping Apollo 11 land on the moon on July 20, 1969. WABC-7 will air a half hour special commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the historic event at 7:00 PM, Saturday evening, July 20th.

Mr. Finamore worked at Grumman for forty-five years, starting in 1943. He spent seven years working on the Lunar Module project. At first he was assigned to work on the descent section of the LM, later he worked to ensure a successful liftoff from the moon as the crew began its trek back to Earth.

Eyewitness News meteorologist Lee Goldberg will explore this landmark event from a variety of perspectives—from interviews with the astronauts themselves, including two who walked on the Moon, to the Long Island engineers and technicians who were closely involved in the Apollo Program. During the WABC-7 news special Entertainment Reporter Sandy Kenyon will talk to a filmmaker about his immersive documentary made from a newly-uncovered trove of never-before-seen 70mm footage and audio recordings from NASA, and the painstaking process of working with this priceless cinematic history.

Most importantly, the program examines the vital contribution made by thousands of Long Islanders who designed, built and perfected the Lunar Module at Grumman Aerospace in Bethpage during the Space Race of the 1960s.

WABC-7 will also take viewers inside the Grumman History Center for a look back in time to understand how the Lunar Module went from concept to the lunar surface. This complex spacecraft remains a source of pride and distinction for Long Island and the nation. It is a story kept alive at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City where visitors can see an actual full-scale lunar module, astronaut artifacts, and exhibits that chronicle Man’s quest for space travel.