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John Glenn RIP

Basil

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Former Astronaut John Glenn dead at 95 << Rest in peace.

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.

-- John Gillespie Magee, Jr
 
I recall reading about him when I was a kid, well before he became an astronaut. As a US Marine pilot he set a coast-to-coast speed record (I think) in an F8U. The article was in a comic book(!) and I remember it like it was yesterday.
 
Two of my heroes: John Glenn and Ted Williams, who flew as Glenn's wingman in Korea:

CxCFmRWXgAA4hn-.jpg


https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2016/12/08/ted-williams-john-glenn-photo
 
 
Love the Washington Post story - thank you! The "backstory" of many great people is often wonderful. True greatness.

Apparently Mr. Glenn had a bit of a thing for oddball cars - LGCs instead of LBCs, but close enough: NSU Prinz.
 
This morning there was a reporter his name escapes me but he met Glenn at a White House function when he was a senator .
Didn't want to open with all the lines he had heard before .
so he says to him have you ever met Charles Lindberg? Turns turned out he did.
Spent time flying cover in pacific for him during WWll A DID NOT KNOW THAT . THATS PRETTY AMAZING. Two of our greatest aviation heros flew to gather in the war and later had the ships and stories held for all to see at the Nat.Air& space museum. Truly great men both heros.
just found the link
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-little-known-story-from-the-life-of-john-glenn/
 
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