John Glenn

John Glenn was an amazing American who did many brave things. He was born on July 18, 1921, in Cambridge, Ohio. Later, his family moved to New Concord, Ohio, where he grew up loving to fly.

As a young boy, John loved airplanes and built models from balsa wood. He went to New Concord High School and played basketball and tennis. After high school, he studied chemistry at Muskingum College and even earned a private pilot license in 1941.

John Glenn became a pilot and flew in important times like World War II and the Korean War. He was very good at flying and even set a record for the fastest flight across the United States.

In 1959, NASA chose John and six other pilots to be the first American astronauts. They were called the Mercury Seven. On February 20, 1962, John flew the Friendship 7 spacecraft. He became the first American to orbit the Earth! He flew around the Earth three times, making everyone proud.

Later, John became a U.S. senator from Ohio. He worked hard to help people and protect the environment. In 1998, when he was 77 years old, John flew into space again on the Space Shuttle Discovery. This made him the oldest person to travel to space!

John Glenn passed away on December 8, 2016, at the age of 95. He was remembered as a hero who inspired many with his courage and love for flying. People celebrated his amazing achievements and called him a true pioneer of space travel.

John received many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. Schools, roads, and even a fireboat were named after him. His story continues to inspire young dreamers to reach for the stars.