Defense Secretary Ash Carter today praised former Marine Corps fighter pilot, astronaut and U.S. senator John Glenn for his dedication, courage and service to the nation. Glenn orbited Earth three times in his Friendship 7 capsule.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter today praised former Marine Corps fighter pilot, astronaut and U.S. senator John Glenn for his dedication, courage and service to the nation.
U.S. astronaut John Glenn in his flight suit in the early 1960s
Glenn died yesterday at age 95 in Columbus, Ohio.
First U.S. Astronaut to Orbit Earth
On Feb. 20, 1962, Glenn became the first U.S. astronaut to enter space and orbit the globe.
Glenn orbited Earth three times in his Friendship 7 capsule.
Carter’s statement follows:
“In service to his country as a Marine, in space, and in the Senate, and throughout his life, Senator John Glenn embodied ‘the right stuff.’ Our military in particular benefited from his dedication and courage, first as a combat pilot in World War II and Korea, and later as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“But just as important as what John Glenn accomplished is how he accomplished it: with a combination of fierce determination and profound humility, and always with integrity. I am deeply saddened by his loss, and I join all Americans inspired by his heroic example in expressing my condolences to his wife, Annie, and the Glenn family.”
Related Links
Profile of John Glenn
Statement from Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on the Death of Sen. John Glenn
Remembering John Glenn
