Project Mercury also excluded civilian NASA X-15 pilot Neil Armstrong, though he had been selected by the US Air Force in 1958 for its Man In Space Soonest program, which was replaced by Mercury. Although Armstrong had been a combat-experienced NAP during the Korean War, he left active duty in 1952. Armstrong became NASA's first civilian astronaut in 1962 when he was selected for NASA's second group, and became the first man on the Moon in 1969. It was further stipulated that candidates should be between 25 and 40 years old, no taller than , and hold a college degree in a
Orland K. Armstrong instructor pilot Armstrong made his first foray into the world of journalism by acting as editor of the aviation magazine "Propeller". Following the end of World War I Armstrong took a position with the YMCA, going to France for two years. In France he helped care for Russian prisoners of war awaiting return to their homeland. After returning from France in 1920 Armstrong chose to further his education at Cumberland University, earning his second bachelor's degree and a law degree in 1922. Armstrong took and passed the Missouri Bar exam but chose not to enter into a law practice. He