Astronaut John Glenn became the fifth person in space and the first American to
orbit the Earth, aboard the Friendship 7 Mercury capsule (shown above). He
circled the globe three times during a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes, and
23 seconds.  

Alan B. Shepard,The first American Astronaut to travel
in space, was born on this date in 1923. In 1971 Alan
Commanded the Apollo 14 mission and was the fifth
person to walk on the moon. Shepard died of
Leukemia on July 21, 1998. He was 74.

                              
Alan being congratulated by President Kennedy 
at the White House.