John Glenn's Extraordinary Life in Pictures
John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth, circling the globe in just over five hours. One of the United States' seven original astronauts, he was just the fifth human being ever to travel beyond our planet's atmosphere and brave the final frontier. In that moment, he joined the ranks of the Wright Brothers and Lewis and Clark, our nation's greatest aviators and explorers, while that nation watched it all unfold on TV. Glenn, a smiling symbol of the Space Age and the hopeful America of John F. Kennedy, also had the opportunity to feature in—and take—some immortal photography. To honor him at his passing, here are some of the very best examples.
