The Untold Truth of Neil Armstrong’s Wife – Carol Held Knight

Who is Carol Held Knight?

Born in 1945 in the United States of America, Carol Held is best known as the second wife of astronaut Neil Armstrong. Her husband was the first man to ever walk on the moon, making him one of the most recognized astronauts in history.

Carol Held Knight’s net worth

As of early 2020, Carol Held Knight’s net worth is estimated to be over $8 million, primarily attributed to an inheritance she obtained after the death of her husband. Her husband went on many space missions through which he also acquired considerable wealth through his job and through public appearances in later life.

Life and Romance

Carol was raised by her parents and lived a life largely away from the spotlight. She married a man named Ralph Knight, and the couple apparently had a happy marriage and two children before her husband died in a plane crash in 1989, leaving her and her two teenage children. Her husband ran a construction company then based in Cincinnati, and with her husband’s death, she decided to take over the family business while taking care of the children.

Three years later, she met Armstrong at a golf tournament, both invited there by mutual friends, he, of course, as a celebrity.

The two didn’t talk much because Carol was nervous about talking to a celebrity, but despite this, the two got together and he contacted her a few weeks later. The two built a friendship over the next few months, which led to a relationship. Armstrong was still married at the time, although he had already separated from his wife and was headed for a divorce. He and Carol got married a few months after his divorce.

Husband – Neil Armstrong

Neil is of Scottish, Irish and German descent. He grew up in Wapakoneta, Ohio alongside two younger siblings.

His father worked for the state government, so the family moved to different parts of the state during Neil’s childhood. He developed a love of flying, brought on by the constant travelling, and his father took him to the Cleveland Air Races. His father was also a pilot and he experienced his first flight with his father and became addicted.

He went to Blume High School, and while a student started taking it flying lessons, and at the age of 16 he flew solo. He was also very active in the Boy Scouts of America. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Purdue University, where he earned a degree in aeronautical engineering, choosing it over the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as advised by his relatives.

After two years of college, he underwent another two years of flight training before serving in the United States Navy for a year, then returning to school and completing his undergraduate degree.

Military career

1949 Armstrong joined the United States Navy as a midshipman, began training and then conducted solo missions in subsequent years. He became a naval aviator and was assigned to an all-jet squadron, making him the youngest officer to join VF-51. A year later he was promoted to ensign and began piloting ground attack aircraft. He served as a reconnaissance aircraft escort during the Korean War and then served in bombers where he fought anti-aircraft fire.

On one occasion he lost control of his aircraft due to wing damage, but was able to return to friendly territory before ejecting. He flew nearly 80 missions in Korea and received numerous medals for his services.

After graduating, he became an experimental test pilot working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), where he became a project pilot for many combat aircraft, such as the Century Series. In 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was founded and he became one of the first employees after it took over NACA.

The famous spaceflight

Having served on the crew of three Gemini crewed flights and two Apollo flights, he had become a renowned trusted astronaut at NASA. In 1969, after a meeting of executives, he was chosen to be part of the mission to the moon, due to his experience and skill. He became the commanding officer of Apollo 11 and had a great launch despite initial concerns about the volume of their launch compared to previous missions. Their goal was to land on the Moon, and he took control of the starship after deeming their initial landing site unsafe.

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon, and he became the first person to walk on it. He had prepared his famous line “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” before launch, announced on many stations around the world. The successful mission checked the ability of humans to operate on the moon’s surface. After their return home, he became a celebrity and was invited to numerous radio and television programs. After leaving the service, he started a career as a teacher and went on other expeditions as well.

Private life

Carol and Neil had two marriages in Ohio, the first being a more intimate one, while the second was a more lavish affair at California’s San Ysidro Ranch. They then built their first home in California, and lived there for several years before finally moving to Indian Hill, Ohio; they had no children. During the latter part of his career, Neil was offered an opportunity in politics by many of his former colleagues, but declined the offers, as he had no interest in pursuing that field. He passed away in 2012 from complications following surgery to treat coronary artery disease.