RIP John Glenn

[hungry101]

John Glenn passed away the other day. He was a true American hero.

John Glenn was a Marine aviator, astronaut, Senator, and Democratic Presidential candidate. He is best known for being the first American to orbit the earth February 20, 1962. Before that he flew combat missions in a Corsair in the Pacific during WWII and the F9 Panther in Korea. He flew in the same squadron as Teddy Baseball Williams for a time in Korea. In WWII, he flew close air support including strafing runs which is extremely hazardous duty. He was hit with flak 5 times in WWII and in Korea they called him magnet ass for the amount of flak he was hit with. He shot down 3 MIGs before the armistice. He was the first astronaut to orbit earth and he was given a ticker tape parade in NYC. He ran for President twice: Once in the 70's and another time in the 80's. He even flew a space shuttle mission at age 77. God Bless John Glenn.

 

[westwoody]

Yes he was really a hero.

Anyone who could sit inside one of those tiny Mercury capsules on top of a rocket is either a hero or nuts.
A few of those rockets blew up in testing, and now you are going to sit on one?
If more politicians had his combat experience a lot less American boys would die in foreign misadventures.
They don't make them like John Glenn anymore.

 

[Passionné]

John Herschel Glenn Jr. was an American aviator, engineer, astronaut, and United States Senator from Ohio. In 1962 he became the first American to orbit the Earth, circling three times.

Born: July 18, 1921, Cambridge, OH
Died: December 8, 2016
Space missions: STS-95, Mercury-Atlas 6
Spouse: Annie Glenn (m. 1943)
Education: Muskingum University
Children: Carolyn Ann Glenn, John David Glenn

Military awards

• Distinguished Flying Cross (6)
• Air Medal (18)
• Presidential Unit Citation
• Navy Unit Commendation
• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• China Service Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Korean Service Medal
• United Nations Korea Medal
• Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

https://www.nasa.gov/content/profile-of-john-glenn

In the movie "The Right Stuff" we are given a man dedicated to his family, friends, and his duty. He's courageous and unflappable under the greatest pressure. The "loose heat shield scene" got it wrong though. He was not straining under tremendous pressure, he was steady and professional performing his job despite the feared danger as his capsule threw flaming debris during reentry much as he had been so steady and fearless when he flew in WWII and with his wing man Ted Williams in Korea, despite twice having to return to base with about 250 holes in his jet interceptor aircraft each time. He became the first 4-time Senator from Ohio, and at age 77 he returned to space on the STS-95 shuttle flight on the orbiter "Discovery".

He was the kind of man of honor, duty, and dedication, a true hero we need and could use so much more of today.

GODSPEED JOHN GLENN.

 

[Doc Holliday]

He also once ran for President. John Glenn was a true American hero.