The Star of India, left, and the DeLong Star Ruby, center,
at the Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals inside the
American Museum of Natural History in New York. The
two were among the 24 gems stolen. (FOX NEWS)

Two men broke into the American Museum of Natural History
in New York City and made off with millions of dollars in gems
on this day in history, Oct. 29, 1964. 

James A. Oliver, director of the Museum of Natural History, inspecting the case that held jewels stolen from the
museum.

Jack Roland Murphy, who also went by "Murf the Surf," was sentenced to three years in jail for stealing 24 gems from
the American Museum of Natural History.

Nearly four decades after he became the first American to orbit
the Earth, Senator John Herschel Glenn Jr.was launched into
space again as a payload specialist aboard the space shuttle
Discovery on October 29, 1998.

At 77 years of age, Glenn was the oldest human ever to travel
in space. During the nine-day mission, he served as part of a
NASA study on health problems associated with aging.

The crew of space shuttle Discovery mission STS-95,
including John Glenn. On this flight, Glenn became
the oldest person to fly in space. NASA