posted 05-30-2015 06:42 AM               

Space Cover #319: John Glenn approaching age 94: A tribute

On July 18, John Glenn will be 94 years old. He was the oldest of the Original Mercury 7 Astronauts and the longest lived. He also holds the distinction of being the oldest person to fly in space at age 77, making his second spaceflight on Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998, 37 years after his first flight, Mercury-Atlas 6/Friendship 7.

He is a true American hero, who served as a US Marine fighter pilot in both WWII and Korea, flying a total of 149 combat missions, and serving in the US Senate from 1974 to 1999. Among his many awards are six Distinguished Flying Crosses and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

He is probably America's best known and respected astronaut and for us autograph hounds, certainly the longest continuously signing astronaut, while never charging a cent. We hounds owe him great thanks and gratitude.

To illustrate some of the many covers originating from his two spaceflights and also his kindness in autographing, shown here are six covers relevant to his spaceflight career, with five autographed.

At the top is a Swanson SpaceCraft cover for Glenn's MA-6 launch. The cover below it is a USS Randolph Prime Recovery Ship Captain's cover for recovery, with the label signed by both Glenn and the ship's C.O.

The top cover is an Artcraft Mercury stamp First Day Cover from Cape Canaveral, with Glenn nicely adding "MA-6" with his signature. The bottom cover is an STS-95 launch cover with a special "1962/1998" cancel designed by Joel Katzowitz.

The cover at the top is another STS-95 launch cover, with a mission emblem/crew patch cachet and nicely signed by Glenn. The bottom cover is also an STS-95 launch cover and signed by the STS-95 crew. Note both a Mercury stamp and a Shuttle stamp used for postage, showing both of the spacecraft Glenn flew.

I'm jumping the gun slightly with this tribute to John Glenn coming less than 6-weeks before his 94th birthday, so perhaps other covers pertaining to Glenn's long career and two spaceflights can be presented here at the time of his 94th birthday.