ActivityConnection.com

Do you know who I am? I am John Glenn!

Share the following information with your group and discuss. Click on the image to print the pictures on this page to share during your discussion.

John Glenn: War Hero

War hero, early astronaut, first American to orbit the Earth, U.S. Senator ... John Glenn has had a very successful life, by any measure. Read more about this true American hero.

Born in Cambridge, Ohio on July 18, 1921, John Herschel Glenn, Jr. and his family moved to nearby New Concord, Ohio when he was two years old. John's father built their new home and added a few extra rooms so it could also serve as a boarding house for students at Muskingum College. Surrounded by students, John's natural curiosity grew. He soon focused on science and flying.

His childhood was traditional, fairly uneventful and, as he describes it, "idyllic." It certainly gave him a foundation in education, patriotism and family that greatly influenced his adult life. A childhood friend would also play a big role in John Glenn's adult life. His family was friends with the Castor family, and one of John's constant childhood playmates, Annie Castor, later became his high school sweetheart and then his wife. Both attended Muskingum College, where John studied engineering and Annie received a degree in music and education. They were married in 1942 and later became the proud parents of two children, John David and Carolyn Ann. They have two grandchildren.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, John interrupted his college education to enter the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. He was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1943 and served as a pilot in both World War II and the Korean conflict. He flew a combined 149 missions in the wars. Among his many honors, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross six times. His military service later included time as a flight instructor in advanced flight training and as a test pilot for the Naval Air Test Center.

John Glenn: Test Pilot and Astronaut

As a test pilot in 1957, Glenn set the transcontinental speed record, flying from Los Angeles to New York in 3 hours and 23 minutes. "Project Bullet" secured Glenn's reputation as one of the country's top test pilots and provided a stepping stone for his participation in the emerging space exploration program. When recruitment for the space program began in 1958, Glenn was one of the first to enter. At first, he participated on a committee for aeronautic G-force tests, and he eagerly volunteered when NASA was seeking pilots for its sub-orbital and orbital programs. In 1959, NASA selected him as one of the first seven astronauts in the U.S. space program. Three years later, on February 20, 1962, atop an Atlas rocket, he rocketed into space. He piloted the Mercury Friendship 7 spacecraft around the globe three times, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth.

John Glenn: U.S. Senator

John Glenn retired from NASA and the Marine Corps shortly after his historic flight. He began thinking about serving his country in an elected capacity and declared his intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat in Ohio. However, in 1964 an automobile accident got in the way of his dreams and caused him to drop out of the public eye for a few years while he recovered. In 1970, he ran again but didn't make it out of the primaries. In the election four years later, John Glenn took on a new title as Senator Glenn.

John Glenn spent more than 20 years as a U.S. Senator, serving on such committees as the Senate Government Affairs Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. One of the milestones of his Senate career was his work on the 1978 Nonproliferation Act, the first major step towards stopping the spread of nuclear weapon capability. On the 30th anniversary of Glenn's historic space orbit, he announced his retirement from the Senate.

John Glenn: Retired?

Shortly after, NASA asked him to take part in the space shuttle program and once again, Glenn couldn't resist the invitation. In October 1998 at the age of 77, John Glenn became the oldest human to enter space.

Today, John Glenn's feet are firmly planted on earth. He and Annie have founded the John Glenn Institute for Public Service at Ohio State University. Through its programs, they seek to improve the quality of public service and to encourage young people to pursue careers in government.

Discussion Break

In the early years of America's space program, John Glenn emerged as a hero. This was a time when our country was racing against the Russians for dominance in space. Glenn's trip in orbit set both a scientific and psychological milestone for many Americans. What do you remember about the events of the space program in the 1960s? How did Glenn's accomplishments and those of his fellow astronauts affect you?
John Glenn has often remarked that his childhood played a large influence on his decisions as an adult. What childhood dreams of yours have impacted the way you have lived your life?

Trivia & Interesting Facts

Glenn's father took him, at age eight, on his first airplane ride aboard a barnstormer's dual cockpit WACO aircraft.
John Glenn left college before graduating to enter the military after Pearl Harbor. He didn't complete his degree until 1962.
Glenn flew 63 combat missions during the Korean Conflict, many with baseball star Ted Williams as his wingman.
In July 1957, while project officer of the F8U Crusader, he set a transcontinental speed record from Los Angeles to New York, spanning the country in 3 hours and 23 minutes. This was the first transcontinental flight to average supersonic speed.
Special Honors: Glenn has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on six occasions and holds the Air Medal with 18 Clusters for his service during World War II and Korea. Glenn also holds the Navy Unit Commendation for service in Korea, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the China Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy's Astronaut Wings, the Marine Corps' Astronaut Medal, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. Whew!
On February 20, 1962, Glenn piloted the Mercury-Atlas 6 "Friendship 7" spacecraft on the first manned orbital mission of the United States.
Glenn was a close friend of the Kennedy family. When President Kennedy was assassinated, Jackie asked John to tell six of the Kennedy children what had happened. Glenn was a pallbearer at Kennedy's funeral.
Glenn campaigned for his close friend, Robert F. Kennedy, during Kennedy's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
NASA launched Space Shuttle Discovery Mission STS-95 with 77-year-old Glenn on board. Glenn spent nine days in space undergoing various experiments on possible links between the human aging process and the symptoms experienced by astronauts exposed for a lengthy period of time to the weightlessness of space.
John and Annie Glenn still make frequent trips in their own plane. You'll find Annie lending a hand as navigator and radio operator for her favorite pilot.

Quotes

"We have an infinite amount to learn, both from nature and from each other."
"I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets."
"The Good Lord only gave men so many hormones, and if others want to waste theirs growing hair, that's up to them."
"The most important thing we can do is inspire young minds and to advance the kind of science, math and technology education that will help youngsters take us to the next phase of space travel."
"To look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is to me impossible. It just strengthens my faith. I wish there were words to describe what it's like."

Related Articles

Activity Suggestions

The movie and book The Right Stuff are based on the lives of the original seven Mercury astronauts, of whom Glenn was one. Glenn was portrayed by actor Ed Harris in the motion picture. Have a book club or movie session with this popular title.
Get a telescope and bring a group together at night to look at the stars and planets. Borrow astronomy books from your local library to help you identify what you're seeing.
Is your group as interested in space as John Glenn? NASA has a variety of resources that you can use to create more activities or educational programs:

Other Sites to Visit