John Glenn, RIP

[jsgolfer]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/12/08/john-glenn-the-first-american-astronaut-to-orbit-the-earth-dies-at-95/?pushid=breaking-news_1481228945&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.aed64740a7d9

First Astronaut to orbit the Earth.  Lived to 95, pretty damn good.

[Hacker James]

wow, did not know he passed. He was born just a few miles from where I was. His hometown was Gnadenhutton, Ohio.  The last time I saw him in person was from my balcony in Italy, when his convertible passed by in a parade near the NATO Base in Bagnoli Italy. I think that would have been in 1965 or maybe earlier.

[CarlSpackler]

Very sad to lose another great American. 

[boogielicious]

3 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

Very sad to lose another great American. 

And oldest man to go up in space too! What a great life he had. He and the other six Mercury 7 were my heroes when I was a kid. The Space Program is partially responsible for me being an engineer.

[Gunther]

A rare, true American hero.  RIP sir.

[CarlSpackler]

Just now, boogielicious said:

And oldest man to go up in space too! What a great life he had. He and the other six Mercury 7 were my heroes when I was a kid. The Space Program is partially responsible for me being an engineer.

We walked down the bike path last night and watched an Atlas IV rocket launch from the cape. It still amazes me that we launch things into space. These men put their lives on the line to try new things for the space program. 

[David in FL]

We throw around the term hero pretty freely these days.  John Glenn truly was.  RIP....

[RandallT]

I think a fitting tribute is this song from Lightnin' Hopkins. Shows a bit how well-known John Glenn was for orbiting the planet, how people were prayed for his success, and how proud I think we were at the time to achieve something as a country. At least how that's how I always interpreted this song. I get this vibe from the song that the country was worried about him, but John Glenn could do it, no sweat! What a badass.

I used to listen to this song in college (a blues kick at the time), haven't thought about it in decades, but I thought of it instantly when I heard the news. Funny how that works. Brings back memories.

RIP John Glenn, this one's for you

 

People, I was sittin' this mornin' with this on my mind
Said there ain't no livin' man who gone around the world three times
John Glenn done it, yes he did
He did it, I'm talkin' about him only did it for fun

Half a million dollars made him feel so well
He got to eatin' his lunch and couldn't hardly tell
He said, "I feel all right", John Glenn said it
Everybody was laughin' and dipped in the gritty

It was a million prayer went up, prayin' that he would land
I looked at a school house full of men and they didn't know what to say
But they said, "Let him come back, God, please let him land
You know that's the onliest man ever did it and You're the helpin' hand"
I'm gonna turn out to be one [Incomprehensible]

I see him when he left but I didn't see him when he land
But I know he was doin' all right when they said, "It is okay
To give him a great big hand, he'll be in on the ship, they say he's on deck"
His mother say, "I know my son gonna make it
It ain't never been no mistake"

You know I gonna tell you somethin', this ain't lyin'
You know that man must had on his mind flyin'
It ain't nobody will take that for his tryin' unless they gonna build him
His own self airplane and they gonna go flyin'

They told him, "Don't worry, this is true", you may miss me
For a few minutes but I'll be back to see about you, he did
Yes he did, yes, when he done it
Didn't know [Incomprehensible] helicopter

You know they tested that boy's body, they even test his heart
They know he was all right when he was gettin' to start
I mean he's made it, he went around the world three times
You know he went and got him an airplane
And he made up and had it on his mind

That's what he had on his mind
He didn't have no kid and he didn't have no digs
He just had it on his mind flyin'

Read more: Lightnin' Hopkins - Happy Blues For John Glenn Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

[Kalnoky]

John Glenn is a real hero. 

The Right Stuff w/ Ed Harris as John Glenn is one of my favorite movies. The book by Tom Wolfe is excellent too..

Rest in Peace Sir & Godspeed!

[CarlSpackler]

I took these pics at Space View Park in Titusville, FL last month.