Hi Wayne & Wayne.
I think that could be it. I was only born in April 1969 & was only 4 months & 16 days old when Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon, so I was way too young to remember it (besides I was still in hospital for much of that time).
As is probably quite obvious I am into planetary science so that's way the later missions were more interesting to me, the geologically fascinating sites visited by Apollos 15 & 17 & the scientific knowledge gleaned from those sites, were enhanced by the lunar roving vehicle, etc. The rock samples, the photography of the various lunar features, from ground level, is it volcanic, is due to impacts, is it both, etc really did it for me from a scientific point of view.
Don't get me wrong ALL of the Apollo missions, those that landed, those that did not all represented a long term investment in human development, even if driven by the Cold War, though some how I think the fact Apollo did proceed after Apollo 11 does make me think that the Cold War was not the only factor, because IMO, if it was, than the programme would have ended with Apollo 11, as that achieved the aim of beating the Soviet Union to the Moon with humans.
Apollo was far, far more than just that. The missions became more challenging, after the marial landings of 11 & 12 & even after 13's near miss with disaster, Apollo 14 was sent to a difficult location, Apollo was heading the right way. Shame it ended at Apollo 17, politics is like that.
However, humans will return, of that I have no doubt, when, I dunno, will they, definately. As life left the oceans & colonised land, life will leave Earth & spread to other planetary bodies. Of that I have no doubt.
Andrew Brown.