Vice President Al Gore hailed their first lunar landing as well as their courage in ceremonies awarding the crew the Samuel P. Langley medal for achievements in flight.

"Yours was an even more audacious journey than we had known at the time," Gore said in awarding the medal this morning before an audience of space officials, Congressional supporters, and the public.

The ceremony was conducted in front of the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia which carried the three astronauts to the Moon and back July 16-24, 1969. "They blazed a path farther than we had known, Gore said. He added that he and his father were present at Cape Kennedy when the trio left for the Moon 30 years ago. "Families and communities came together," he said. "In that reunion we truly became a United States-united in pride."

NASA chief Daniel S. Goldin reminded the audience of the missions effect on the public, both then and today. "Your pioneering efforts captured the worlds imagination," Goldin said. "You continue to inspire all of us- you certainly inspired me," Goldin added. "Thank-you for giving your best to America." Armstrong accepted the award on behalf of both his fellow crew members as well as the approximately 400,000 people who worked on the Apollo project in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Langley medal is awarded for outstanding achievements in the progress of flight. Previous awardees include The Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, and Wernher Von Braun.