John H. Glenn

At 9:47 on the morning of February 20, 1962, American life came to a breathless halt as millions paused to listen and watch while a mighty rocket hurled a man-carrying capsule into orbit around the earth.


The successful flight and safe return of Marine Astronaut Lt. Col. John Herschel Glenn, Jr., have given his name a luster that few other American names have ever achieved.


But John Glenn is more than a name. He is a dedicated maker of history who modestly believes that his God-given talents, and his ability and opportunity to use them, are his destiny — indeed his duty to his country and the world.


Here, written by men who know him, is the biography of that remarkable man and his historic flight. Lt. Col. Philip N. Pierce, USMC, is a personal friend and brother officer of Astronaut Glenn. Co-author Karl Schuon has been managing editor of Leatherneck Magazine for the past sixteen years.


Lt. Col. Philip N. Pierce, USMC, has long been a personal friend of Astronaut John H. Glenn. He is the holder of twelve combat decorations and citations. Col. Pierce is one of the Marines’ best known contemporary authors. His books and magazine features have been published in the United States, Canada, Britain and Europe. A former newspaperman, he is now Director of Media at Marine Corps Headquarters, Washington, D C.


Karl Schuon served in World War II as a Marine. For the past sixteen years he has been Managing Editor of the Corps’ widely-read Leatherneck Magazine. In addition, to many published military articles and stories, he has authored several books, including ColdSteel and Marines and What They Do.