Striking Mini Sheet Honors John Glenn’s Historic Flight
This dramatic mint souvenir sheet was issued in 2012 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of John Glenn’s historic orbit of the Earth. He was the first American to do so and it was a major milestone in America’s journey to the stars. The souvenir sheet pictures Glenn, the mission patch, and the Friendship 7 capsule that carried him into space.
John Glenn – the First American to Orbit the Earth
A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Glenn completed the first coast-to-coast supersonic flight on July 16, 1957. He received his fifth Distinguished Flying Cross for the successful mission, named “Project Bullet.” Less than two years later, Glenn started training for another historic flight.
In April 1959, seven men were chosen to take part in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Project Mercury, and John Glenn was one of them. He was selected for the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission to become the first American to orbit the Earth. On February 20, 1962, Glenn climbed into the Friendship 7 spacecraft and launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. He broke through Earth’s atmosphere and circled the globe for four hours, 55 minutes. Glenn made three orbits before a heating problem forced an early landing. Upon his return, astronaut John Glenn was a national hero, with his own ticker-tape parade and a service medal awarded by President Kennedy. Thirty-six years later, Glenn returned to space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. At age 77, Glenn was the oldest person to go into space.
Add the legacy of Glenn’s historic flight and career to your collection – order your souvenir sheet now.