Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)

Subject: Obit: John Glenn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 04:08 PM

He lived to a ripe old age, but I am still saddened. 2016 has a lot to answer for.

NY Times

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 04:24 PM

Gee, he lived to the age of 95, and what a life he lived! He flew an F4U Corsair on 59 combat missions in the South Pacific during World War II. He flew the Friendship 7 space capsule in 1962, and became the first American to orbit the earth. He was a U.S. Senator from Ohio 1974-1999 (Democrat). In 1998, while still a Senator, he flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery at the age of 77 - the oldest person to fly in space.
May he rest in peace - and in glory!

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 04:39 PM

RIP Mr. Glenn

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 04:43 PM

Integrity, too, and, thanks, elf, no google searches though?

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 04:52 PM

sorry about 2016 John. Otherwise you will live forever.

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Thompson
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 06:17 PM

God rest him… yet… he was the one that prevented women from being the first in space, despite medical evidence that female bodies and psychology were more suited to the task…

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 06:28 PM

When Colonel Glenn flew in Friendship 7, the times conspired to make him into, perhaps, the last unquestioned American hero.

In February of 1962, the society-shaking events of the '60s were still in the future: the Cuban Missile Crisis was a few months away, the civil rights struggle was in its infancy, US involvement in Viet Nam was minimal and unopposed, the assassination of JFK was almost two years away, the idea that the money spent on a space program could be better spent elsewhere was seldom voiced. Americans did not yet view events through the lens of cynicism many would adopt as the decade wore on.

There was no reason not to adore John Glenn. He was not a pawn of the military-industrial complex. He did not represent a government many had come to distrust. He was All-American at about the last moment it was possible too be such a thing.

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: robomatic
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 08:20 PM

Godspeed John Glenn

Subject: Obit: John Glenn
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 02:43 AM

Another icon of our time has died.

John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth and one of the US's first astronauts.

He was 95.

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Stu
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 06:55 AM

The men and women who pioneered and are still pioneering spaceflight are all heroes. If we ever, as a race, manage to survive our destructive and belligerent urges and finally realise our potential will remember these people and those that helped them do what they did with honour, respect and the admiration they have earned.

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 08:14 AM

Lovely article about his widow, did you know she used to be pretty much mute from stuttering?

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 09:14 AM

I remember high school in 1962 -- the classes shut down so we could gather around a rather small (by today's standards) black-and-white television to see the splashdown. It being a good Catholic high school we were praying on the launch, during the flight, and during the landing.

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 01:37 PM

Thanks, Mrrzy, I just got a look at the Washington Post article to which you made a blue clicky link. You beat me to it! Speaks volumes about John Glenn to have had such a marriage.

Subject: RE: Obit: Astronaut/Senator John Glenn (1921-2016)
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 02:46 PM

A trustworthy ethical politician like John Glenn can not exist today.

They are just not mean and vindictive enough.