President Lyndon Johnson handed out the awards to 31 people in JFK’s stead and honored his predecessor with a posthumous medal as well. Richard Nixon gave astronaut Neil Armstrong the honor in 1969.

Armstrong became an astronaut in 1962, part of NASA’s second group of astronauts, and retired from the space program in 1971. He received an honorary doctorate from Purdue in 1970 and countless awards ...

Previous honorees of the Medal of Freedom include: Walt Disney, Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, Jackie Robinson, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Roberto Clemente, Dr. Ben Carson, and ...

Such esteemed figures as Anthony S. Fauci, Neil Armstrong, Irving Berlin, John Lewis and former president George H.W. Bush (from President Barack Obama) have worn the medal. Sign up Advertisement ...

Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins were all awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom before embarking on a world tour, which included 38 countries, and meeting heads of state.

In 1986, Armstrong served as vice chairman of the presidential commission that investigated the 1986 Challenger disaster. His decorations include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the ...

Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11 and the first man to walk on the moon, has died, NBC News reports. Skip to main content. ... including the Presidential Medal of Freedom; ...

Neil Armstrong's 'giant leap for mankind' as he set foot on the lunar surface in 1969 ... President Nixon waved to them through a window ... Nixon gave each of them the Medal of Freedom, ...