John Glenn
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John Glenn
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John Glenn had one of the most unusual American careers of the 20th century — war hero, test pilot, astronaut, and U.S. senator.
Career highlights:
1. Marine Corps combat pilot (WWII & Korea)
Flew 59 combat missions in World War II in the Pacific.
Flew 90 missions in Korea.
Shot down 3 MiG-15s in the Korean War, earning the nickname “MiG Mad Marine.”
2. Record-setting test pilot (1957)
Made the first supersonic transcontinental flight across the U.S. (“Project Bullet”) in just over 3 hours 23 minutes, setting a speed record.
3. Mercury Seven astronaut (1959)
Selected as one of NASA’s original Mercury Seven, America’s first astronaut class.
4. First American to orbit Earth (1962)
Piloted Friendship 7 on February 20, 1962.
Completed 3 Earth orbits in under 5 hours.
This was one of the biggest early American wins in the Space Race.
5. U.S. Senator from Ohio (1974–1999)
Served 24 years in the U.S. Senate.
Worked on nuclear nonproliferation, science policy, and government oversight.
6. Returned to space at age 77 (1998)
Flew on Space Shuttle Discovery, becoming the oldest person to go to space at that time.
Participated in aging and human physiology research.
Major honors:
Multiple Distinguished Flying Crosses
Congressional Space Medal of Honor
NASA Distinguished Service Medal
Presidential Medal of Freedom (2012)
In
theboovier
Apr 26 2025
I met John Glenn when was 90. He was a great man, a scholar, and a great American.
Military Service: Glenn was a U.S. Marine Corps pilot who flew combat missions in both World War II and the Korean War.
Test Pilot: He became a highly respected test pilot, setting a transcontinental speed record in 1957 by flying from Los Angeles to New York in under 3.5 hours (“Project Bullet”).
NASA and Mercury Seven: In 1959, Glenn was selected as one of NASA’s original Mercury Seven astronauts.
First American to Orbit the Earth: On February 20, 1962, during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission aboard Friendship 7, he became the first American to orbit the Earth — circling the globe three times.
Political Career: After retiring from NASA and the military, Glenn served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio for 24 years (1974–1999).
Return to Space: In 1998, at age 77, Glenn flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-95 mission), becoming the oldest person ever to fly in space.





