John Glenn

John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1962. Glenn served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio from 1974 to 1999. Before his NASA career, Glenn was a distinguished fighter pilot in World War II, the Chinese Civil War, and the Korean War. He shot down three MiG-15s and received numerous awards for his service. Glenn was one of the Mercury Seven, the first group of astronauts selected by NASA. On February 20, 1962, he flew the Friendship 7 mission, making history once again.