Personal Data
    John Herschel Glenn, Jr. was born July 18, 1921 in Cambridge, Ohio.  His wife is Anna Castor Glenn.  They have two children and two grandchildren.

 Education
    Glenn attended Muskingum College in New Concord where received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering.  He was also  awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree in Engineering by Muskingum College. Glenn has received nine other honorary Doctoral degrees from several different colleges and universities.

 Experience    
    John Glenn entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program.  He graduated  and in 1943, he was commissioned in the Marine Corps.

    After receiving advanced training, Glenn joined the Marine Fighter Squadron 155.  During that year, he flew F-4U fighters in the Marshall Islands.

    Glenn flew 59 combat missions while he was serving in World War II.  When the war ended, he became a member of the Marine Fighter Squadron 218 on the North China patrol and served on Guam.

    In Korea, John Glenn flew 63 missions with Marine Fighter Squadron 311. He downed three MIG's in combat along the Yalu River.

    In July 1957, Glenn set a transcontinental speed record from Los Angeles to New York.  He spanned the country in 3 hours and 23 minutes.  This flight become the first transcontinental flight to average supersonic speed.

      On February 20, 1962, Glenn piloted the Mercury-Atlas 6 "Friendship 7" spacecraft.  This was the first manned orbital mission of the United States. He completed a successful three-orbit mission around the earth. The mission lasted 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds.

     Glenn became active in politics from 1975 until 1998.  He served as a United States Senator from Ohio.  He did not run for re-election in 1998.

    At the age of 77, John Glenn set another record.  He became the oldest person ever to orbit space.  Beginning November 7, 1998, he was part of the 9 day mission on Discovery. This mission involved a variety of research including the deployment of the Spartan solar-observing spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, and the investigations on space flight and the aging process.

 Honors

• Distinguished Flying Cross on six occasions
   

• Holds the Air Medal with 18 Clusters for his service during World War II and Korean
   

• Holds many commendations and medals for service to his country