Ohio native John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, passed away on Thursday at age 95. In 1943, he began his career in the air as World War II Marine fighter pilot, flying high-risk missions in the Pacific battle theater, and later in the Korean War. During his military career, Glenn manned nearly 150 prime combat missions. He was also a pioneering test pilot, and in 1957 became the was the first individual to complete a supersonic flight across the continental United States. After this accomplishment, Glenn was named one of six founding pilots of the developing U.S. space program.

On February 20, 1962, Glenn boarded the spacecraft Friendship 7 for a trip into space, during which he completed three Earth orbits. This groundbreaking mission put America’s space program in league with Russia’s, which had performed the first successful manned orbital spaceflight in 1961. Glenn next pursued a career in politics, which began with a failed senatorial run in 1964. Ten years later he became a Republican senator for Ohio, two years after which he launched an unsuccessful vice-presidential run. In total, Glenn served 25 years as a U.S. Senator. 

In 1999, he retired from politics and joined the crew of the NASA Discovery, and at age 77, became the oldest individual to enter space. Of his time with NASA, Glenn said, “the opportunity to join in its quests and explorations was a challenge not only to fulfill a sacred duty, but to join a joyous adventure.” Glenn is survived by his wife of 73 years, Annie Glenn, 96, and their children Carolyn Ann Glenn, 69, and John David Glenn, 70.

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