Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

demmiblue

(36,875 posts)
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 04:32 PM Dec 2016

John Glenn, American hero, aviation icon and former U.S. senator, dies at 95

Source: The Columbus Dispatch



His legend is other-worldly and now, in his 95th year, that’s where John Glenn has gone.

An authentic hero and genuine American icon, Glenn died this afternoon surrounded by family at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus after a remarkably healthy life spent almost from the cradle with Annie, his beloved wife of 73 years, who survives.

He, along with fellow aviators Orville and Wilbur Wright and moon-walker Neil Armstrong, truly made Ohio first in flight.

“John Glenn is, and always will be, Ohio’s ultimate hometown hero, and his passing today is an occasion for all of us to grieve," said Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich. "As we bow our heads and share our grief with his beloved wife, Annie, we must also turn to the skies, to salute his remarkable journeys and his long years of service to our state and nation.

Read more: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/12/john-glenn/john-glenn.html

60 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
John Glenn, American hero, aviation icon and former U.S. senator, dies at 95 (Original Post) demmiblue Dec 2016 OP
The next step, the next amazing journey. Vale, sir. You inspired. n/t TygrBright Dec 2016 #1
RIP Laf.La.Dem. Dec 2016 #2
Sat on my friend's shoulder to watch his parade in DC, 1962. Kingofalldems Dec 2016 #3
R.I.P John Glenn question everything Dec 2016 #4
A great man and a great Democrat PlanetBev Dec 2016 #5
CAVU, Marine. Well done. n/t sarge43 Dec 2016 #6
95 is a good number of "orbits." RIP. Gidney N Cloyd Dec 2016 #7
God Speed John Glenn! jimlup Dec 2016 #8
... lamp_shade Dec 2016 #9
Escape the bonds of earth once more John Glenn liberal N proud Dec 2016 #10
RIP to a true hero. nt TeamPooka Dec 2016 #11
We did not always agree, but Mr. Glenn . . FairWinds Dec 2016 #12
A hero in every sense of the word! Floyd R. Turbo Dec 2016 #13
Will watch The Right Stuff this weekend in his honor. Dave Starsky Dec 2016 #14
Damn. Just saw a breaking banner. BumRushDaShow Dec 2016 #15
That Atlas rocket was a terrifying thing. It was built like a soft drink can. hunter Dec 2016 #50
Somewhere I have a plastic recording of his words from space Maeve Dec 2016 #16
My little one-room country school stopped classes GliderGuider Dec 2016 #17
They are all gone now. El Supremo Dec 2016 #18
Lost an American hero/icon.... Fly high, JG. keithbvadu2 Dec 2016 #19
2016 has been the absolute worst! LittleGirl Dec 2016 #20
It's even worse than in 1977, the banner year for obituary writers. n/t duffyduff Dec 2016 #25
Space is a dangerous place ... ZoomBubba Dec 2016 #21
RIP Senator Glenn. greatauntoftriplets Dec 2016 #22
To infinity and beyond... reign88 Dec 2016 #23
A great man and a real popular culture hero. duffyduff Dec 2016 #24
RIP John Glenn! A true inspiration! denvine Dec 2016 #26
That's it, 2016 officially 'sucks' Lifelong Protester Dec 2016 #27
John Glenn Orbit scene from the right stuff. zonkers Dec 2016 #36
Thanks for that. Lifelong Protester Dec 2016 #52
And, As Gordon Cooper Said (Quaid In The Movie). . . ProfessorGAC Dec 2016 #55
Chuck Yeager ... Aimee in OKC Dec 2016 #56
Met him his wife and mom and dad in New Concord Ohio in 1962 doc03 Dec 2016 #28
Respect BlancheSplanchnik Dec 2016 #29
A real honest to goodness hero JPPaverage Dec 2016 #30
RIP John GreydeeThos Dec 2016 #31
RIP to a true hero and legend oldtime dfl_er Dec 2016 #32
May John Glenn rest in power MrScorpio Dec 2016 #33
Good clip from the Right Stuff.... zonkers Dec 2016 #34
Oh no! longship Dec 2016 #35
... a good life ... Aimee in OKC Dec 2016 #49
Godspeed, John Glenn meow2u3 Dec 2016 #37
we need to appreciate people like this more JI7 Dec 2016 #38
My childhood hero.....God Speed...Friendship 7 Historic NY Dec 2016 #39
........... Dawson Leery Dec 2016 #40
" loss of life is to be mourned, but only if the life was wasted" -Spock NWCorona Dec 2016 #41
My John Glenn story Botany Dec 2016 #42
That's a lovely memory, Botany blaze Dec 2016 #44
God's Speed, John Glenn! annarbor Dec 2016 #43
My Dad designed the flight path for Glenn's historic orbit around the earth. Liberty Belle Dec 2016 #45
thank you for sharing a bit of your father with us tonight. niyad Dec 2016 #47
RIP Colonel John Glenn Demonaut Dec 2016 #46
requiescat in pace niyad Dec 2016 #48
Godspeed on your next mission! burrowowl Dec 2016 #51
RIP. Another icon of my growing up years gone. Guess I better raccoon Dec 2016 #53
He lived to see America die. sofa king Dec 2016 #54
Could someone explain why John Glenn is more of a hero than thousands of others who have risked... Nitram Dec 2016 #57
What's square on the ends and high in the middle? John Glenn's life paulkienitz Dec 2016 #58
A great man. As a 10 y.o. kid I recall watching the splashdown and recovery on a b&w TV argyl Dec 2016 #59
..... ailsagirl Dec 2016 #60
 

FairWinds

(1,717 posts)
12. We did not always agree, but Mr. Glenn . .
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 04:51 PM
Dec 2016

was a very good listener, and unfailingly polite.

Vets For Peace

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)
14. Will watch The Right Stuff this weekend in his honor.
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 04:56 PM
Dec 2016

God speed you, John Glenn. They don't make real badasses like you anymore.

BumRushDaShow

(129,341 posts)
15. Damn. Just saw a breaking banner.
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 04:57 PM
Dec 2016

Farewell to a true icon of America. He was fortunate to do what he did and even got to go on the "next generation" of spacecraft (a Space Shuttle - most likely considered "luxury quarters&quot , serve as a U.S. Senator for 25 years (a Democrat) and live a long life.

Condolences to his family and -

hunter

(38,323 posts)
50. That Atlas rocket was a terrifying thing. It was built like a soft drink can.
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 11:51 PM
Dec 2016

The tanks were pressurized with nitrogen, which kept the rocket from collapsing under its own weight on the launchpad and rigid in flight.

Traveling to orbit is still a dangerous business, but for these early astronauts it was all new.


Maeve

(42,287 posts)
16. Somewhere I have a plastic recording of his words from space
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 04:57 PM
Dec 2016

Given out with sneakers--Red Ball Flyers, iirc.

And my son got his autograph when Glenn visited at OSU--my son is not one for hero-worship, but he recognized a great man when he met one.

Fly high and proud, John. You had an amazing life.

 

GliderGuider

(21,088 posts)
17. My little one-room country school stopped classes
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 05:18 PM
Dec 2016

We all listened spellbound to Glenn's flight on the radio that February day in 1962. It made me permanently space crazy.

LittleGirl

(8,287 posts)
20. 2016 has been the absolute worst!
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 05:41 PM
Dec 2016

I've lived 57 years and I cannot believe how many heros, musicians and just down right loved people have passed this year.

I hope that 2017 is much better but we have the orange anus coming in and I don't think it's going to be much better at all. We can't all lose hope but dayam.

ZoomBubba

(289 posts)
21. Space is a dangerous place ...
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 05:44 PM
Dec 2016

... all that cosmic radiation and all. But, Glenn was 95 and looked to be in pretty good health until shortly before the end. Combine that with him being a Senator and WWII pilot, and you got a guy who had a pretty full life. Too bad that his life ended with him knowing that the president-elect is Donald Trump.

 

duffyduff

(3,251 posts)
24. A great man and a real popular culture hero.
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 05:59 PM
Dec 2016

I remember when he went to orbit, and I was only in the first grade in 1962. It was a HUGE deal.

Lifelong Protester

(8,421 posts)
27. That's it, 2016 officially 'sucks'
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 06:08 PM
Dec 2016

I knew he couldn't live forever, but day-um, this year officially can be over. I know 2017 will not be that good, with HHWNBN coming in. But he**, this year is crap!!

I will miss John Glenn, like I miss John Lennon, who also left us on Dec. 8th.

Lifelong Protester

(8,421 posts)
52. Thanks for that.
Fri Dec 9, 2016, 12:07 AM
Dec 2016

As a boomer, it was everything to us (the space program). I loved it and was 'glued' to the TV.

doc03

(35,362 posts)
28. Met him his wife and mom and dad in New Concord Ohio in 1962
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 06:11 PM
Dec 2016

when he came home from space. Our neighbor's friend or relative lived next door to Glenn's parents in New Concord met them at their house after his homecoming parade. That was a big deal meeting the most famous guy in the world at 14 years old.

JPPaverage

(510 posts)
30. A real honest to goodness hero
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 06:42 PM
Dec 2016

Rest in Peace Mr. Glenn. He truly deserves it. A hero of mine when I was a kid. And an adult.

longship

(40,416 posts)
35. Oh no!
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 07:27 PM
Dec 2016

He lived 95 years of a good life. We're just going to have to be satisfied with that.
God speed, John Glenn, is all one can say at this point. (And I am an atheist.)

Aimee in OKC

(158 posts)
49. ... a good life ...
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 10:58 PM
Dec 2016

I remember the Mercury 7 -- they were such icons! What luck to have been around for the Space Age, and to watch how the idea of reaching beyond our planet inspired many people; there's so much beyond this one small corner of the Universe.

Salute:

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
41. " loss of life is to be mourned, but only if the life was wasted" -Spock
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 08:47 PM
Dec 2016

Thank you John Glenn for inspiring millions of kids around the world! Godspeed

Botany

(70,559 posts)
42. My John Glenn story
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 08:48 PM
Dec 2016

My John Glenn story

Columbus OH it was @ a spring 2006 democratic candidate meet up in a union hall. About 200 to 250 people were there when I saw
an older lady who had no place to sit and offered her my chair. She had 2 friends w/her and I went and got them chairs from some
younger volunteers ….. Sen. Glen who I didn’t know was watching smiled @ me, gave me a thumbs up, and nodded as he entered the
room a minute or so later.

Liberty Belle

(9,535 posts)
45. My Dad designed the flight path for Glenn's historic orbit around the earth.
Thu Dec 8, 2016, 09:52 PM
Dec 2016

Dad was called "Mr. Atlas" at Convair/General Dynamics.

He's been gone a few years now....RIP to them both, for the history they made to lead us to the heavens.

Nitram

(22,845 posts)
57. Could someone explain why John Glenn is more of a hero than thousands of others who have risked...
Fri Dec 9, 2016, 12:12 PM
Dec 2016

...their lives to do their job or help someone in need? Is this just another Cult of Personality?

paulkienitz

(1,296 posts)
58. What's square on the ends and high in the middle? John Glenn's life
Fri Dec 9, 2016, 02:03 PM
Dec 2016

(sung to the tune of the bridge in "Jocko Homo", the pre-album version)

argyl

(3,064 posts)
59. A great man. As a 10 y.o. kid I recall watching the splashdown and recovery on a b&w TV
Fri Dec 9, 2016, 03:46 PM
Dec 2016

I was so proud to be an American.
The whole world looked up to the US.

And now ........

ailsagirl

(22,898 posts)
60. .....
Sun Dec 11, 2016, 10:04 PM
Dec 2016
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.


Rest in peace, Mr. Glenn
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»John Glenn, American hero...