RIP John Glenn - "The Last True National Hero"

[nycsteve]

Evel Kenevel x 1000
RIP

[ronmac]

Evel Kenevel x 1000
RIP

But, with class on top of it all.

[BigSixFan]

Glenn had perhaps the greatest mike-drop rebuttal to a critique ever in a primary debate with Senator Howard Metzenbaum:


http://video.wosu.org/video/2365048711/

[Casey]

^ That's a helluva speech. If I were Metzenbaum I wouldn't have the courage to show my face for a while.

[ronmac]

^ That's a helluva speech. If I were Metzenbaum I wouldn't have the courage to show my face for a while.

Indeed.

[Halmyre]

Second actually.

Although he was the first to orbit.

Alan Shepard was the first launched although he did not orbit.

DtB

Third actually - Grissom did a sub-orbital hop after Shephard.

[Dave the Brave]

I thought Grissom came after Glen.
In The Right Stuff Grissom was all pissed off cause he never got the big parade and Presidential greeting that Shepherd got.
Okay did the research.
Shepherd
Grissom
Glen
DtB

[Scott Bails]

From what I've heard during various eulogies of Glenn, he loved The Right Stuff book, but absolutely hated the film.

I've never read the book nor seen the film, but I need to correct that.

[Halmyre]

From what I've heard during various eulogies of Glenn, he loved The Right Stuff book, but absolutely hated the film.

I've never read the book nor seen the film, but I need to correct that.

From what I remember, Glenn comes across as a rather humourless stiff-necked prude - "Mr Clean the Marine" - who disapproves of the other astronauts' boisterous behaviour.

[Jerjo]

Yeah, he said he wasn't nearly that saintly and the others were not nearly as boisterous. Though the film is a truly great piece of work and while Glenn came across as a little pious, he certainly also comes across as heroic. The book is one of Wolfe's greatest triumphs, though some might not like his writing style. The movie takes some liberties but ye gods, it's a stunning piece of work and shows how these guys became heroes in the eyes of their countrymen.

There was one scene in the book that I wish was in the movie. The astronauts underwent way way way too much medical and mental screening and at some point, rebellion sets in. After a battery of tests from a shrink, Alan Shepherd got shown a blank piece of paper by a shrink. Shepherd slid it back across the table with the remark "it's upside down". The shrink grabbed the paper to look at it and Shep laughed his ass off.

[Casey]

By all means, SEE THE MOVIE!!! It's quite well done, funny & inspiring. Haven't read the book but it's on my "within the next 5 years" plan. Shepard must have been some guy.