John Glenn

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John Glenn was born July 18th, 1921 in Cambridge, Ohio. His mother's name was Clara Spout and his father's name was John Herschel. His sister’s name was Jean Glenn, she was adopted. John was called Buddy by his parents. John moved to New Concord, Ohio when he was two years old.

John’s parents were his heroes. He spent his summer days swimming! When he was young he and his friends formed their own club called the Ohio Rangers. He did odd jobs to earn extra money and saved enough money to buy a bike.

John went to New Concord primary and secondary school. When he was young he spent several weeks in bed with scarlet fever. While he was sick he made lots of WW2 model airplanes. He always had a love for flying even at a young age. John started dating his childhood friend Annie Castor when he was in 8th grade.

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John loved to be kept busy! He loved cars and sometimes volunteered at his father’s Chevy dealership where he helped repair the cars. He loved mechanics and science. He was on the New Concord High School student council. He played football, basketball and wrote for the school news paper. He also played the trumpet.

In 1939 John attended Muskingum College. He majored in engineering. On John’s 16th birthday his Dad gave him a 1929 Chevy Roadster. John nicknamed it “The Cruiser”. He enrolled in a Navy program while in college and learned how to fly. He received his pilot’s license July 1st, 1941.

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December 7th, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The United States were now at war so John left school and joined the Navy. He earned his wings in Corpus Christi, Texas, March 31st, 1943. He achieved the rank of second Lieutenant and joined the marines.

He married Annie Castor April 6th 1943, immediately after he left to go overseas. He flew fifty nine air-to-ground missions in the Marshall Islands. He earned two distinguished flying crosses and 10 air medals. The war ended September 1945.

John’s son David was born December 13th, 1945. His daughter Carolyn was born March 19th, 1947. In 1950 the Korean War broke out, John flew ninety combat missions. He earned a 3rd and 4th Distinguished Flying Cross and he was awarded eight more medals. In 1954 John graduated from test-pilot school.

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In 1957 John Glenn flew from California to New York City. He did it in a little over three hours twenty minutes. He broke a cross-country speed record. He was then awarded his 5th Distinguished Flying Cross.

John Glenn was selected by NASA in 1959 as one of the Mercury 7 astronaut crew. The astronauts helped design the Mercury space capsule. NASA selected John for the Earth orbit flight. John’s capsule was called Friendship 7. On February 20th, 1962 John made his flight. He was the 1st American to orbit Earth.

In 1965 John Glenn retired from the Marines as Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn Jr. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1974. He was elected to a second Senate term in 1980. He sought nomination for President of the United States in 1983. He was elected to the 3rd Senate term in 1986 and his 4th and last term in 1992. John Glenn retired from Senate in 1999.

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John made his second flight into Space at the age of seventy seven years old in the space shuttle discovery. He became the oldest person ever launched into space. John Glenn established “The John Glenn Institute for public service and public policy” at the Ohio State University. John Glenn now lives in Ohio with his wife.