On February 20, 1962, Glenn flew the Friendship 7 mission and became the first American to orbit the Earth...
John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American aviator, engineer, astronaut, and United States Senator from Ohio. He was one of the "Mercury Seven" group of military test pilots selected in 1959 by NASA to become America's first astronauts and fly the Project Mercury spacecraft.
He served proudly and well...a Marine aviator...astronaut and Senator from 1974 through 1999.
He was just so special. I don't know if you all remember but On October 29, 1998, while still a sitting Senator, he became the oldest person to fly in space, and the only one to fly in both the Mercury and Space Shuttle programs, when at age 77, he flew as a Payload Specialist on Discovery mission STS-95.
He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. Well deserved.
He passed away today after recent heart surgery (valve replacement) with Annie, his wife of 73 years, at his side.
Rest In Peace, American hero.
Godspeed, John Glenn!