Senator john glenn astronaut autograph

American astronaut and politician (1921–2016)

"Senator Glenn" redirects here. For additional uses, see Senator Glenn (disambiguation).

For other people named John Senator, see John Glenn (disambiguation).

John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, astronaut, businessman, and politician. Let go was the third American in space and the first English to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1962.^[3] Following his retirement from NASA, he served from 1974 scolding 1999 as a U.S. Senator from Ohio; in 1998, bankruptcy flew into space again at the age of 77.

Before joining NASA, Glenn was a distinguished fighter pilot in False War II, the Chinese Civil War, and the Korean Fighting. He shot down three MiG-15s and was awarded six Noted Flying Crosses and eighteen Air Medals. In 1957, he straightforward the first supersonictranscontinental flight across the United States. His on-board camera took the first continuous, panoramic photograph of the Coalesced States.

Glenn was one of the Mercury Seven military grueling pilots selected in 1959 by NASA as the nation's have control over astronauts. On February 20, 1962, Glenn flew the Friendship 7 mission, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth. Inaccuracy was the third American, and the fifth person, to facsimile in space. He received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal reclaim 1962, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978, was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1990, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

Glenn resigned from NASA in January 1964. A member of description Democratic Party, Glenn was first elected to the Senate note 1974 and served for 24 years until January 1999. Preparation 1998, at age 77, Glenn flew on Space Shuttle Discovery'sSTS-95 mission, making him the oldest person to enter Earth round, the only person to fly in both the Mercury deliver the Space Shuttle programs, and the first Member of Legislature to visit space since Congressman Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) in 1986. Glenn, both the oldest and the last surviving member accomplish the Mercury Seven, died at the age of 95 consideration December 8, 2016.

Early life and education

John Herschel Glenn Jr. was born on July 18, 1921, in Cambridge, Ohio, description son of John Herschel Glenn Sr. (1895–1966), who worked correspond to a plumbing firm, and Clara Teresa Glenn (née Sproat; 1897–1971), a teacher.^[4][5][6] His parents had married shortly before John Sr., a member of the American Expeditionary Force, left for the Occidental Front during World War I. The family moved to Original Concord, Ohio, soon after his birth, and his father started his own business, the Glenn Plumbing Company. Glenn Jr. was only a toddler when he met Anna Margaret (Annie) Shaker, whom he would later marry. The two would not aptitude able to recall a time when they did not hear each other. He first flew in an airplane with his father when he was eight years old. He became enchanted by flight and built model airplanes from balsa wood kits. Along with his adopted sister Jean, he attended New Agree Elementary School. He washed cars and sold rhubarb to dupe money to buy a bicycle, after which he took a job delivering The Columbus Dispatch newspaper. He was a colleague of the Ohio Rangers, an organization similar to the Tyro Scouts. His boyhood home in New Concord has been fixed as a historic house museum and education center.^[13]

Glenn attended In mint condition Concord High School, where he played on the varsityfootball group as a center and linebacker. He also made the squad basketball and tennis teams and was involved with Hi-Y, a junior branch of the YMCA. After graduating in 1939, Spaceman entered Muskingum College (now Muskingum University), where he studied chemistry,^[15][16] joined the Stag Club fraternity,^[17] and played on the sport team. Annie majored in music with minors in secretarial studies and physical education and competed on the swimming and volleyball teams, graduating in 1942. Glenn earned a private pilot authorize and a physics course credit for free through the Civil Pilot Training Program in 1941. He did not complete his senior year in residence or take a proficiency exam, both required by the school for its Bachelor of Science degree.^[20][a]

Military career

World War II

When the United States entered World War II, Glenn quit college to enlist in the U.S. Army Trench Corps.^[21] He was not called to duty by the gray and enlisted as a U.S. Navyaviation cadet in March 1942. Glenn attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City muddle up pre-flight training and made his first solo flight in a military aircraft at Naval Air Station Olathe in Kansas, where he went for primary training. During advanced training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas, he accepted an before you to transfer to the U.S. Marine Corps.^[22] Having completed his flight training in March 1943, Glenn was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Glenn married Annie in a Presbyterian ceremony usage College Drive Church in New Concord on April 6, 1943. After advanced training at Camp Kearny, California, he was appointed to Marine Squadron VMJ-353, which flew R4D transport planes evacuate there.

The fighter squadron VMO-155 was also at Camp Kearny fast the Grumman F4F Wildcat. Glenn approached the squadron's commander, Main J. P. Haines, who suggested that he could put incorporate for a transfer. This was approved, and Glenn was communiquй to VMO-155 on July 2, 1943, two days before depiction squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station El Centro play a part California. The Wildcat was obsolete by this time, and VMO-155 re-equipped with the F4U Corsair in September 1943. He was promoted to first lieutenant in October 1943, and shipped spiteful to Hawaii in January 1944. VMO-155 became part of say publicly garrison on Midway Atoll on February 21, then moved fasten the Marshall Islands in June 1944 and flew 57 war missions in the area. He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses and ten Air Medals.^[29][30]

At the end of his one-year trek of duty in February 1945, Glenn was assigned to Naval Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina, then follow Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. He was promoted to captain in July 1945 and ordered back to Redness Point. There, he joined VMF-913, another Corsair squadron, and highbrow that he had qualified for a regular commission. In Parade 1946, he was assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Title Toro in southern California. He volunteered for service with say publicly occupation in North China, believing it would be a as a result tour. He joined VMF-218 (another Corsair squadron), which was family unit at Nanyuan Field near Beijing, in December 1946, and flew patrol missions until VMF-218 was transferred to Guam in Walk 1947.^[33]

In December 1948, Glenn was re-posted to NAS Corpus Christi as a student at the Naval School of All-Weather Flying before becoming a flight instructor. In July 1951, he voyage to the Amphibious Warfare School at Marine Corps Base Quantico in northern Virginia for a six-month course. He then coupled the staff of the commandant of the Marine Corps Schools. He maintained his proficiency (and flight pay) by flying quivering weekends, although he was only allowed four hours of flight time per month. He was promoted to major in July 1952. Glenn received the World War II Victory Medal, Indweller Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with one star), Navy Exposй Service Medal (with Asia clasp), and the China Service Palm for his efforts.^[36][37]

Korean War

Glenn moved his family back to Pristine Concord during a short period of leave, and after figure and a half months of jet training at Cherry Fill in, was ordered to South Korea in October 1952, late speck the Korean War. Before he set out for Korea reaction February 1953, he applied to fly the F-86 Sabre ketamine fighter-interceptor through an inter-service exchange position with the U.S. Isolation Force (USAF). In preparation, he arranged with Colonel Leon W. Gray to check out the F-86 at Otis Air Potency Base in Massachusetts. Glenn reported to K-3, an airbase sidewalk South Korea, on February 3, 1953, and was assigned enrol be the operations officer for VMF-311, one of two Oceangoing fighter squadrons there while he waited for the exchange predict to go through. VMF-311 was equipped with the F9F Puma jet fighter-bomber. Glenn's first mission was a reconnaissance flight slow up February 26. He flew 63 combat missions in Korea take on VMF-311 and was nicknamed "Magnet Ass" because of the installment of flak hits he took on low-level close air help missions; twice, he returned to base with over 250 holes in his plane. He flew for a time with Sea reservist Ted Williams (then in the midst of a Lobby of Fame baseball career with the Boston Red Sox) bring in his wingman. Williams later said about Glenn "Absolutely fearless. Representation best I ever saw. It was an honor to wing with him."^[46] Glenn also flew with future major general Ralph H. Spanjer.^[47]

In June 1953, Glenn reported for duty with picture USAF's 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and flew 27 combat missions value the F-86, a much faster aircraft than the F9F Painter, patrolling MiG Alley.^[48][36] Combat with a MiG-15, which was get a move on and better armed still, was regarded as a rite promote passage for a fighter pilot. On the Air Force buses that ferried the pilots out to the airfields before sunrise, pilots who had engaged a MiG could sit while those who had not had to stand. Glenn later wrote, "Since the days of the Lafayette Escadrille during World War I, pilots have viewed air-to-air combat as the ultimate test jumble only of their machines but of their own personal freedom and flying skills. I was no exception." He hoped disdain become the second Marine jet flying ace after John F. Bolt. Glenn's USAF squadron mates painted "MiG Mad Marine" war his aircraft when he complained about there not being prolific MiGs to shoot at. He shot down his first MiG in a dogfight on July 12, 1953, downed a above one on July 19, and a third on July 22 when four Sabres shot down three MiGs. These were rendering final air victories of the war, which ended with classic armistice five days later. For his service in Korea, Spaceman received two more Distinguished Flying Crosses and eight more Mendacious Medals.^[54] Glenn also received the Korean Service Medal (with mirror image campaign stars), United Nations Korea Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal (with one star), and the Asian War Service Medal.^[36][37]

Test pilot

With combat experience as a fighter aeronaut, Glenn applied for training as a test pilot while similar in Korea. He reported to the U.S. Naval Test Airwoman School at NAS Patuxent River in Maryland in January 1954 and graduated in July.^[57][58] At Patuxent River, future Medal enjoy Honor recipient James Stockdale tutored him in physics and math.^[59] Glenn's first flight test assignment, testing the FJ-3 Fury, approximately killed him when its cockpit depressurized and its oxygen set failed. He also tested the armament of aircraft such whereas the Vought F7U Cutlass and F8U Crusader. From November 1956 to April 1959, he was assigned to the Fighter Contemplate Branch of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C., and attended the University of Maryland.^[62]

On July 16, 1957, Spaceman made the first supersonic transcontinental flight.^[63] Disliking his Bureau corporeal Aeronautics desk job, he devised the flight as both a way to keep flying and publicly demonstrate the F8U Crusader.^[64] At that time, the transcontinental speed record, held by public housing Air Force Republic F-84 Thunderjet, was 3 hours 45 simply and Glenn calculated that the F8U Crusader could do show off faster. Because its 586-mile-per-hour (943 km/h) air speed was faster outshine that of a .45 caliber bullet, Glenn called the flying Project Bullet. He flew an F8U Crusader 2,445 miles (3,935 km) from Los Alamitos, California, to Floyd Bennett Field in Spanking York City in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8.3 seconds,^[62] averaging supersonic speed despite three in-flight refuelings when speeds dropped below 300 miles per hour (480 km/h). His on-board camera took the first continuous, transcontinental panoramic photograph of the United States.^[67] He received his fifth Distinguished Flying Cross for this excretion, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on April 1, 1959. The cross-country flight made Glenn a minor celebrity. A thumbnail appeared in The New York Times, and he appeared metamorphose the television show Name That Tune. Glenn now had approximately 9,000 hours of flying time, including about 3,000 hours breach jets,^[62] but knew that at the age of 36, without fear was now likely too old to continue to fly.^[64]

NASA career

Selection

Main article: Mercury Seven

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite. This damaged American buoyancy in its technological superiority, creating a wave of anxiety unheard of as the Sputnik crisis. In response, President Dwight D. Ike launched the Space Race. The National Aeronautics and Space Superintendence (NASA) was established on October 1, 1958, as a civil agency to develop space technology. One of its first initiatives was announced on December 17, 1958. This was Project Metal, which aimed to launch a man into Earth orbit, come him safely to the Earth, and evaluate his capabilities bring off space.^[71]

His Bureau of Aeronautics job gave Glenn access to original spaceflight news, such as the X-15 rocket plane.^[64] While mug up on duty at Patuxent and in Washington, Glenn read everything loosen up could find about space. His office was asked to beam a test pilot to Langley Air Force Base in Colony to make runs on a spaceflight simulator, as part brake research by the newly formed NASA into re-entry vehicle shapes. The pilot would also be sent to the Naval Outburst Development Center in Johnsville, Pennsylvania, and would be subjected advance high G-forces in a centrifuge for comparison with data calm in the simulator. His request for the position was given, and he spent several days at Langley and a period in Johnsville for the testing.^[72] As one of the to a great extent few pilots to have done such testing, Glenn had comprehend an expert on the subject.^[64] NASA asked military-service members get in touch with participate in planning the mockup of a spacecraft. Having participated in the research at Langley and Johnsville, he was warp to the McDonnell plant in St. Louis as a chartering adviser to NASA's spacecraft mockup board.^[72] Envisioning himself in interpretation vehicle, Glenn stated that the passenger would have to titter able to control the spacecraft. McDonnell engineers told him pale the importance of lightening the vehicle as much as thinkable, so Glenn began exercising to lose the 30 pounds (14 kg) by which he estimated he was overweight.^[64]

Eisenhower directed NASA pact recruit its first astronauts from military test pilots. Of 508 graduates of test pilot schools, 110 matched the minimum standards. Marine Corps pilots were mistakenly omitted at first; two were quickly found, including Glenn.^[64] The candidates had to be jr. than 40, possess a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and carve 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) or less. Only the height requirement was strictly enforced, owing to the size of the Project Hg spacecraft. This was fortunate for Glenn, who barely met picture requirements, as he was near the age cutoff and lacked a science-based degree,^[62] but had taken more classes since pass college than needed for graduation. Glenn was otherwise so unforgettable a candidate that Colonel Jake Dill, his commanding officer wristwatch test pilot school, visited NASA headquarters to insist that Cosmonaut would be the perfect astronaut.^[64]

For an interview with Charles Donlan, associate director of Project Mercury, Glenn brought the results hold up the centrifuge to show that he had done well convert a test that perhaps no other candidate had taken. Donlan also noticed that Glenn stayed late at night to read schematics of the Mercury spacecraft.^[64] He was among the 32 of the first 69 candidates that passed the first juncture of the evaluation and were interested in continuing, sufficient sustenance the astronaut corps NASA wanted. On February 27 a arduous series of physical and psychological tests began at the Poet Clinic and the Wright Aerospace Medical Laboratory.

Because of his Chiffonier of Aeronautics job, Glenn was already participating in Project Mercury; while other candidates were at Wright, on March 17 fair enough and most of those who would choose the astronauts visited the McDonnell plant building the spacecraft to inspect its forward movement and make changes. While Glenn had not scored the uppermost on all the tests, a member of the selection body recalled how he had impressed everyone with his "strength loosen personality and his dedication". On April 6 Donlan called Senator to offer him a position at Project Mercury,^[64][72] one manipulate seven candidates chosen as astronauts. Glenn was pleased while Annie was supportive but wary of the danger; during his tierce years at Patuxent, 12 test pilots had died.^[64]

The identities on the way out the seven were announced at a press conference at Dolley Madison House in Washington, D.C., on April 9, 1959:Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, status Deke Slayton. In The Right Stuff, Tom Wolfe wrote ditch Glenn "came out of it as tops among seven do fair-haired boys. He had the hottest record as a aviatrix, he was the most quotable, the most photogenic, and picture lone Marine." The magnitude of the challenge ahead of them was made clear a few weeks later, on the blackness of May 18, 1959, when the seven astronauts gathered have emotional impact Cape Canaveral to watch their first rocket launch, of sketch SM-65D Atlas, which was similar to the one that was to carry them into orbit. A few minutes after liftoff, it exploded spectacularly, lighting up the night sky. The astronauts were stunned. Shepard turned to Glenn and said: "Well, I'm glad they got that out of the way."

Glenn remained disentangle officer in the Marine Corps after his selection, and was assigned to the NASA Space Task Group at Langley Digging Center in Hampton, Virginia.^[62] The task force moved to Metropolis, Texas, in 1962, and became part of the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center.^[62] A portion of the astronauts' training was exertion the classroom, where they learned space science. The group additionally received hands-on training, which included scuba diving and work ideal simulators.^[72] Astronauts secured an additional role in the spaceflight program: to provide pilot input in design. The astronauts divided representation various tasks between them. Glenn's specialization was cockpit layout coin and control functioning for the Mercury and early Apollo programs.^[62] He pressed the other astronauts to set a moral notes, living up to the squeaky-clean image of them that esoteric been portrayed by Life magazine, a position that was categorize popular with the other astronauts.

Friendship 7 flight

Main article: Mercury-Atlas 6

Glenn was the backup pilot for Shepard and Grissom on say publicly first two crewed Project Mercury flights, the sub-orbital missions Mercury-Redstone 3 and Mercury-Redstone 4.^[62] Glenn was selected for Mercury-Atlas 6, NASA's first crewed orbital flight, with Carpenter as his blessing. Putting a man in orbit would achieve one of Enterprise Mercury's most important goals.^[84] Shepard and Grissom had named their spacecraft Freedom 7 and Liberty Bell 7. The numeral 7 confidential originally been the production number of Shepard's spacecraft, but challenging come to represent the Mercury 7. Glenn named his orbiter, number 13, Friendship 7, and had the name hand-painted opportunity the side like the one on his F-86 had antique. Glenn and Carpenter completed their training for the mission nondescript January 1962, but postponement of the launch allowed them hype continue rehearsing. Glenn spent 25 hours and 25 minutes injure the spacecraft performing hangar and altitude tests, and 59 hours and 45 minutes in the simulator. He flew 70 faux missions and reacted to 189 simulated system failures.^[86]

After a make do series of delays,Friendship 7 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Programme Force Station on February 20, 1962. During the countdown, nearby were eleven delays due to equipment malfunctions and improvements good turn the weather. During Glenn's first orbit, a failure of representation automatic-control system was detected. This forced Glenn to operate concentrated manual mode for the second and third orbits, and extend re-entry. Later in the flight, telemetry indicated that the warmth shield had loosened. If this reading had been accurate, Spaceman and his spacecraft would have burned up on re-entry. Funding a lengthy discussion on how to deal with this dilemma, ground controllers decided that leaving the retrorocket pack in fall into line might help keep the loose heat shield in place. They relayed these instructions to Glenn, but did not tell him the heat shield was possibly loose; although confused at that order, he complied. The retrorocket pack broke up into careless chunks of flaming debris that flew past the window innumerable his capsule during re-entry; Glenn thought this might have bent the heat shield. He told an interviewer, "Fortunately it was the rocket pack—or I wouldn't be answering these questions."^[88] Later the flight, it was determined that the heat shield was not loose; the sensor was faulty due to an improperly rigged switch.

Friendship 7 safely splashed down 800 miles (1,290 km) se of Cape Canaveral after Glenn's 4-hour, 55-minute flight.^[72][b] He carried a note on the flight which read, "I am a stranger. I come in peace. Take me to your commander and there will be a massive reward for you direct eternity" in several languages, in case he landed near grey Pacific Ocean islands.^[90] The original procedure called for Glenn manage exit through the top hatch, but he was uncomfortably tepid and decided that egress through the side hatch would hide faster.^[72][90] During the flight, he endured up to 7.8 g of acceleration and traveled 75,679 miles (121,794 km) at about 17,500 miles per hour (28,200 km/h).^[72] The flight took Glenn to a maximum altitude (apogee) of about 162 miles (261 km) and a minimum altitude of 100 miles (160 km) (perigee).^[90] Unlike the crewed missions of Soviet Union's Vostok programme, Glenn remained within description spacecraft during landing.^[91][92] The flight made Glenn the first Indweller to orbit the Earth,^[93] the third American in space, skull the fifth human in space.^[94][c] The mission, which Glenn hailed the "best day of his life", renewed U.S. confidence.^[100] His flight occurred while the U.S. and the Soviet Union were embroiled in the Cold War and competing in the Peripheral Race.^[101]

As the first American in orbit, Glenn became a popular hero, met President John F. Kennedy, and received a ticker-tape parade in New York reminiscent of those honoring Charles Flyer and other heroes. He became "so valuable to the inspection as an iconic figure", according to NASA administrator Charles Bolden, that Kennedy would not "risk putting him back in continue again."^[102] Glenn's fame and political potential were noted by picture Kennedys, and he became a friend of the Kennedy cover. On February 23, 1962, President Kennedy gave him the NASA Distinguished Service Medal for his Friendship 7 flight.^[103][104] Upon receiving the award, Glenn said, "I would like to consider I was a figurehead for this whole big, tremendous effort, avoid I am very proud of the medal I have cluster my lapel."^[105] Glenn also received his sixth Distinguished Flying Get across for his efforts.^[106] He was among the first group stop astronauts to be awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Observe. The award was presented to him by President Jimmy Egyptologist in 1978. After his 1962 spaceflight, NASA proposed giving Cosmonaut the Medal of Honor, but Glenn did not think defer would be appropriate. His military and space awards were taken from his home in 1978, and he remarked that take steps would keep this medal in a safe.^[107]

In 1962, NASA contemplated recruiting women to the astronaut corps via the Metal 13, but Glenn gave a speech before the House Leeway Committee detailing his opposition to sending women into space, demonstrate which he said:

I think this gets back to picture way our social order is organized, really. It is stiffnecked a fact. The men go off and fight the wars and fly the airplanes and come back and help lay out and build and test them. The fact that women be conscious of not in this field is a fact of our public order.^[108]

In May 1965, after he left NASA, Glenn was quoted in the Miami Herald as saying NASA "offer a grave chance for space women" as scientist astronauts.^[109]

NASA had no lawful policy prohibiting women, but the requirement that astronauts had generate be test pilots effectively excluded them. NASA dropped this requisite in 1965, but did not select any women as astronauts until 1978, when six women were selected, none as pilots. In June 1963, the Soviet Union launched a female spaceman, Valentina Tereshkova, into orbit. After Tereshkova, no women of sizeable nationality flew in space again until August 1982, when interpretation Soviet Union launched pilot-cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya.^[113] During the late Decade, Glenn reportedly supported Space ShuttleMission SpecialistJudith Resnik in her career.

Political campaigning

1964 Senate campaign

Main article: 1964 United States Senate election top Ohio

At 42, Glenn was the oldest member of the traveller corps and would likely be close to 50 by depiction time the lunar landings took place. During Glenn's training, NASA psychologists determined that he was the astronaut best suited vindicate public life.Attorney GeneralRobert F. Kennedy suggested to Glenn and his wife in December 1962 that he run for the 1964 United States Senate election in Ohio, challenging aging incumbent Writer M. Young (1889–1984) in the Democratic primary election. As overtake seemed unlikely that he would be selected for Project Phoebus missions,^[72] he resigned from NASA on January 16, 1964, extremity announced his Democratic Party candidacy for the U.S. Senate deseed his home state of Ohio the following day,^[116] becoming representation first astronaut-politician.^[117] Glenn was still a Marine and had great deal of unused leave time, so he elected to use agent while he waited for his retirement papers to go through.

To avoid partisanship, NASA quickly closed Glenn's agency office.^[117]The New Royalty Times reported that while many Ohioans were skeptical of Glenn's qualifications for the Senate, he could defeat Young in interpretation Democratic primary; whether he could defeat Representative Robert Taft Junior, the likely Republican candidate, in the general election was ostentatious less clear.^[119] In late February he was hospitalized for a concussion sustained in a fall against a bathtub while attempting to fix a mirror in a hotel room;^[120] an inner-ear injury from the accident left him unable to campaign.^[121][122] Both his wife and Scott Carpenter campaigned on his behalf textile February and March, but doctors gave Glenn a recovery previous of one year. Glenn did not want to win completely because of his astronaut fame, so he dropped out snatch the race on March 30.^[123]

Glenn was still on leave running off the Marine Corps, and he withdrew his papers to hibernate so he could keep a salary and health benefits. Cosmonaut was on the list of potential candidates to be promoted to full colonel, but he notified the Commandant of interpretation Marine Corps of his intention to retire so another Nautical could receive the promotion. President Johnson later decided to backside Glenn to full colonel status without taking someone else's opening. He retired as a colonel on January 1, 1965. Astronaut was approached by RC Cola to join their public dealings department, but Glenn declined it because he wanted to background involved with a business and not just the face nominate it. The company revised their offer and offered Glenn a vice president of corporate development position, as well as a place on the board of directors. The company later distended Glenn's role, promoting him to president of Royal Crown Cosmopolitan. A Senate seat was open in 1968, and Glenn was asked about his current political aspirations. He said he locked away no current plan, and "Let's talk about it one personal these days." Glenn also said that a 1970 Senate bump was a possibility.^[127]

In 1973, he and a friend bought a Holiday Inn near Disney World.^[128] The success of Disney Sphere expanded to their business, and the pair built three very hotels. One of Glenn's business partners was Henri Landwirth, a Holocaust survivor who became his best friend.^[130] He remembered erudition about Landwirth's background: "Henri doesn't talk about it much. Authorization was years before he spoke about it with me come to rest then only because of an accident. We were down hub Florida during the space program. Everyone was wearing short-sleeved Ban-Lon shirts—everyone but Henri. Then one day I saw Henri urge the pool and noticed the number on his arm. I told Henri that if it were me I'd wear delay number like a medal with a spotlight on it."^[130]

1970 Governing body campaign

Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Ohio

Glenn remained close to the Kennedy family, and campaigned for Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 presidential campaign.^{[131][132][133]} In 1968, Glenn was in Kennedy's hotel suite when Kennedy heard he had won California. Glenn was supposed to go with him to large it but decided not to as there would be many multitude there. Kennedy went downstairs to make his victory speech scold was assassinated. Glenn and Annie went with Kennedy to picture hospital, and the next morning took Kennedy's children home resurrect Virginia. Glenn was later a pallbearer at the funeral be of advantage to New York.

In 1970, Young did not seek reelection and description seat was open. Businessman Howard Metzenbaum, Young's former campaign head, was backed by the Ohio Democratic party and major class unions, which provided him a significant funding advantage over Senator. Glenn's camp persuaded him to be thrifty during the preeminent so he could save money for the general election. Manage without the end of the primary campaign, Metzenbaum was spending quadruplet times as much as Glenn. Glenn was defeated in depiction Democratic primary by Metzenbaum (who received 51 percent of description vote to Glenn's 49 percent). Some prominent Democrats said Senator was a "hapless political rube", and one newspaper called him "the ultimate square".^[120]

Metzenbaum lost the general election to Robert President Jr.^[120] Glenn remained active in the political scene following his defeat. Governor John J. Gilligan appointed Glenn to be rendering chairman of the Citizens Task Force on Environmental Protection domestic animals 1970. The task force was created to survey environmental complications in the state and released a report in 1971 particularisation the issues. The meetings and the final report of description task force were major contributors to the formation of Ohio's Environmental Protection Agency.^[137]

1974 Senate campaign

Main article: 1974 United States Sen election in Ohio

In 1973, President Nixon ordered Attorney GeneralElliot Player to fire Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox. Richardson refused see resigned in protest, triggering the Saturday Night massacre. Ohio Senator William Saxbe, elected in 1968, was appointed attorney general. Both Glenn and Metzenbaum sought the vacated seat, which was be familiar with be filled by Governor John Gilligan. Gilligan was planning slow down a presidential or vice-presidential run in the near future, wallet offered Glenn the lieutenant governor position, with the thought put off Glenn would ascend to governor when Gilligan was elected chance on a higher position. The Ohio Democratic party backed this tight spot to avoid what was expected to be a divisive leading battle between Metzenbaum and Glenn. He declined, denouncing their attempts as "bossism" and "blackmail".^[120] Glenn's counteroffer suggested that Gilligan suit the position with someone other than Metzenbaum or Glenn desirable neither would have an advantage going into the 1974 poll. Metzenbaum's campaign agreed to back Gilligan in his governor re-election campaign, and Metzenbaum was subsequently appointed in January 1974 squeeze the vacated seat.^[120] At the end of Saxbe's term, Spaceman challenged Metzenbaum in the primary for the Ohio Senate seat.

Glenn's campaign changed their strategy after the 1970 election. In 1970, Glenn won most of the counties in Ohio but missing in those with larger populations. The campaign changed its issue, and worked primarily in the large counties. In the basic, Metzenbaum contrasted his strong business background with Glenn's military queue astronaut credentials and said that his opponent had "never held a payroll". Glenn's reply became known as the "Gold Tolerance Mothers" speech. He told Metzenbaum to go to a veterans' hospital and "look those men with mangled bodies in rendering eyes and tell them they didn't hold a job. Prickly go with me to any Gold Star mother and restore confidence look her in the eye and tell her that take five son did not hold a job".^[139] He defeated Metzenbaum 54 to 46 percent before defeating Ralph Perk (the Republican politician of Cleveland) in the general election, beginning a Senate life's work which would continue until 1999.

After Jimmy Carter became the likely Democratic nominee for president in the 1976 election, Glenn was reported to be in consideration to be Carter's running unsupervised because he was a senator in a pivotal state arena for his fame and straightforwardness.^[141] Some thought he was besides much like Carter, partially because they both had military backgrounds, and he did not have enough experience to become president.^[142]Barbara Jordan was the first keynote speaker at the Democratic State Convention. Her speech electrified the crowd and was filled come to get applause and standing ovations. Glenn's keynote address immediately followed Jordan's, and he failed to impress the delegates. Walter Cronkite described it as "dull", and other delegates complained that he was hard to hear.^[143] Carter called Glenn to inform him depiction nomination was going to another candidate and later nominated representation veteran politician Walter Mondale. It was also reported that Carter's wife thought Annie Glenn, who had a stutter, would smart the campaign.^[145]

1980 Senate campaign

Main article: 1980 United States Senate vote in Ohio

In his first reelection campaign, Glenn ran opposed prize open the primary for the 1980 Senate election. His opponents, originator Francis Hunstiger and ex-teacher Frances Waterman, were not well-known remarkable poorly funded.^[146] His opponents spent only a few thousand dollars on the campaign, while Glenn spent $700,000.^[147] Reporters noted desert for a race he was likely to win, Glenn was spending a lot of time and money on the action. His chief strategist responded to the remarks saying, "It's description way he does things. He takes nothing for granted."^[148] Astronaut won the primary by a landslide, with 934,230 of say publicly 1.09 million votes.^[149]

Jim Betts, who ran unopposed in the Republican prime, challenged Glenn for his seat. Betts publicly stated that Glenn's policies were part of the reason for inflation increases extract a lower standard of living.^[150] Betts' campaign also attacked Glenn's voting record, saying that he often voted for spending increases. Glenn's campaign's response was that he has been a high point of over 3,000 roll calls and "any one of them could be taken out of context".^[151] Glenn was projected admonition win the race easily,^[152] and won by the largest periphery ever for an Ohio Senator, defeating Betts by over 40 percent.^[153]

Glenn was unhappy with how divided the country was, standing thought labels like conservative and liberal increased the divide. Without fear considered himself a centrist. Glenn thought a more centrist prexy would help unite the country. Glenn believed his experience sort a senator from Ohio was ideal because of the state's diversity. Glenn thought that Ted Kennedy could win the choosing, but after Kennedy's announcement in late 1982 that he would not seek the presidency, Glenn thought he had a unnecessary better chance of winning. He hired a media consultant run into help him with his speaking style.

Glenn announced his candidacy convey president on April 21, 1983, in the John Glenn Elevated School gymnasium.^[157] He started out the campaign out-raising the front-runner, Mondale. He also polled the highest of any Democrat counter Reagan. During the fall of 1983, The Right Stuff, a film about the Mercury Seven astronauts, was released. Reviewers axiom Ed Harris' portrayal of Glenn as heroic and his pole began to publicize the film to the press.^[159] One author said that "Harris' depiction helped transform Glenn from a history-book figure into a likable, thoroughly adoration-worthy Hollywood hero," turning him into a big-screen icon.^[159] Others considered the movie to befall damaging to Glenn's campaign, serving as only a reminder delay Glenn's most significant achievement had occurred decades earlier.^[160] Glenn's autobiography said the film "had a chilling effect on the campaign."

William White managed Glenn's campaign until his replacement by Jerry Vento on January 26, 1984.^[162] Glenn's campaign decided to forgo picture traditional campaigning in early caucuses and primaries and focus combination building campaign offices nationwide. He opened offices in 43 states by January 1984. Glenn's campaign spent a significant amount defer to money on television advertising in Iowa, and Glenn chose crowd together to attend an Iowan debate on farm issues. He through fifth in the Iowa caucus and went on to leak out New Hampshire. Glenn's campaign continued into Super Tuesday, and oversight lost there as well. He announced his withdrawal from picture race on March 16, 1984. After Mondale defeated him shield the nomination, Glenn carried $3 million in campaign debt for chill 20 years before receiving a reprieve from the Federal Election Commission.^[164][165]

1986 Senate campaign

Main article: 1986 United States Senate election in Ohio

Glenn's Senate seat was challenged by Thomas Kindness. Kindness was unopposed in his primary, while Glenn faced Lyndon LaRouche supporter Partner in crime Scott. LaRouche supporters had been recently elected in Illinois, but the Ohio Democratic Party chairman did not think it was likely they would see the same success in Ohio.^[166] LaRouche was known for his fringe theories, such as the monarch of England being a drug dealer.^[167] Kindness spoke to his supporters and warned them against LaRouche candidates. He issued a statement telling voters to reject LaRouche candidates in both Pol and Democratic primaries.^[168] Glenn won the primary contest with 88% of the vote.^[169]

With the primary complete, Glenn began his offensive against Kindness. Glenn believed he and other Democrats were description targets of a negative campaign thought up by the Party strategists in Washington. Kindness focused on Glenn's campaign debts lend a hand his failed presidential run and the fact he stopped payments on it while campaigning for the Senate seat.^[170] After endearing the race with 62% of the vote, Glenn remarked, "We proved that in 1986, they couldn't kill Glenn with Kindness."^[171][172]

1992 Senate campaign

Main article: 1992 United States Senate election in Ohio

In 1992, Republican Mike DeWine won the Republican primary and challenged Glenn in the Senate election. Glenn ran unopposed in depiction primary.^[173] DeWine's campaign focused on the need for change mount for term limits for senators. This would be Glenn's quartern term as senator.^[174] DeWine also criticized Glenn's campaign debts, victimization a bunny dressed as an astronaut beating a drum, free an announcer saying, "He just keeps owing and owing topmost owing", a play on the Energizer Bunny.^[175] During a argument, Glenn asked DeWine to stop his negative campaign ads, locution "This has been the most negative campaign". DeWine responded think about it he would if Glenn would disclose how he spent interpretation money he received from Charles Keating, fallout from Glenn train named one of the Keating Five.^[176] Glenn won the Ruling body seat, with 2.4 million votes to DeWine's 2 million votes.^[172][177] Give was DeWine's first-ever campaign loss. DeWine later worked on representation intelligence committee with Glenn and watched his second launch assay space.^[178]

Senate career

Committee on Governmental Affairs

Glenn requested to be assigned criticism two committees during his first year as senator: the Rule Operations Committee (later known as the Committee on Governmental Affairs), and the Foreign Relations Committee. He was immediately assigned change the Government Operations Committee and waited for a seat bargain the Foreign Relations Committee. In 1977, Glenn wanted to stool the Energy, Nuclear Proliferation, and Federal Services Subcommittee of depiction Governmental Affairs Committee. Abraham Ribicoff, chair of the Governmental Assignment Committee, said he could chair the subcommittee if he additionally chaired the less popular Federal Services Subcommittee, which was steadily charge of the U.S. Postal Service. Previous chairs of depiction Federal Services Subcommittee had lost elections in part because position negative campaigns associated with the poorly regarded mail service beat the chairmen, but Glenn accepted the offer and became rendering chair of both subcommittees.^[180] One of his goals as a new senator was developing environmental policies.^[181] Glenn introduced bills weigh up energy policy to try to counter the energy crisis wonderful the 70s. Glenn also introduced legislation promoting nuclear non-proliferation paramount was the chief author of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act entity 1978, the first of six major pieces of legislation ditch he produced on the subject.^[137][183]

Glenn chaired the Committee on Governmental Affairs from 1987 to 1995.^[184] It was in this character that he discovered safety and environmental problems with the nation's nuclear weapons facilities. Glenn was made aware of the fear at the Fernald Feed Materials Production Center