John Glenn, the astronaut and American hero, died Thursday, December 8, 2016 in Columbus, OH. He had been hospitalized recently at James Cancer Center at Ohio State University in Columbus, though university officials said that his admission there did not necessarily have to do with cancer. His passing was announced by Ohio Governor John Kasich on Twitter. Glenn was 95 years old.
Glenn was a marine pilot who was chosen for Project Mercury astronaut training, in 1959. He became the backup pilot for Alan B. Shepard Jr. and Virgil “Gus” Grissom. He was selected for the first orbital flight and in 1962 he became the first American to orbit Earth.
Born on July 18, 1921 in Cambridge, OH, Glenn became interested in science early, especially aeronautics. He graduated from New Concord High School in 1939 then went to Muskingum College. He joined the American war effort in 1942 in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. The next year he served as a Marine fighter pilot in the Pacific, flying 59 combat missions. Glenn then served in the Korean War, flying 90 missions.
After the wars, he went to the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School and joined the Naval Air Test Center’s staff. In 1957 he set a new speed record in a flight from Los Angeles to New York.
Glenn was selected for the U.S. Space Program in 1959 during the Space Race with the Soviet Union. The Friendship 7 was launched from Cape Canaveral and orbited the Earth three times in a trip that lasted five hours. Despite the fact that the heat shield was not firmly attached, Glenn was able to make adjustments and land safely.
Upon his return he became even more of an American hero and was presented the NASA Distinguished Service Medal from President John F. Kennedy.
In 1964 he entered the Ohio Democratic primary but an injury forced him to leave the race. When he ran in 1974 he was elected and served four terms in Congress. During his in the Senate, he was on the Committee on Government Affairs and he served as chairman of the Senate Government Affairs Committee from 1978 to 1995. He campaigned for funds for education, science, and space exploration.
In 1998 he returned to space on the shuttle Discovery, making history as the oldest person to enter space. A year later he retired from the Senate.
He is survived by his wife, Annie, of 73 years, their two children, and grandchildren.