Today, we remember John Glenn as the heroic astronaut who became the first American ever to fly a spacecraft in orbit around the earth. In a moment, I will show you how John Glenn – take me to your leader became a common phrase. First, let’s briefly examine why he was already a hero before his historic spaceflight.
John Glenn’s life of service to America is a true inspiration. He was the prototypical American hero. He was smart, self-effacing, heroic, and courageous than willing to serve his nation in peacetime. The brave, good-natured Marine successfully flew 59 combat missions during World War II and 90 more during the Korean War. A list of the medals awarded to John Glenn is staggering and can be found at the end of this article. As a test pilot, Glenn set the transcontinental speed record, flying from Los Angeles to New York in 3 hours 23 minutes. Glenn’s service to the nation did not end when he left the military. He served with great distinction as a United States senator from Ohio and briefly sought the Democratic nomination for president.
As John Baldoni put it so eloquently:
Service was paramount to men like Glenn. And from his example, we can learn what it takes to put yourself at risk for a cause. First in combat. Later in space. He also took that sense of service to the U.S. Senate. There applied himself to mastering the issues of the day and later championing the rights of the elderly. To prove that final point, he went into space aboard the Space Shuttle, becoming at age 77 the oldest person ever to do so.
John Glenn – Take Me To Your Leader
John Glenn hoped that the space program would be a contributing factor to international peace. He named his spacecraft “Friendship 7” as a token of the optimistic hope that his flight could lead to goodwill among all nations. His flight presented the most complex technical issues yet faced by NASA. Glen was deeply involved in every aspect of the decision-making regarding everything from the capsule’s design to the sequencing of tests. But there is a little-known decision by John Glenn that I find both intriguing and powerful.
The rocket science of John Glenn’s time did not allow NASA to predict where he would 
land accurately. NASA told him that the most likely landing spots were Australia, the remote islands near New Guinea, or somewhere in the Atlantic ocean! John Glen received assurances that where ever he landed, American forces would rescue him within 72 hours!
Glenn, no doubt worried about how aboriginal people on a remote island might see the appearance of a falling spaceship and a man in a spacesuit took the trouble to have a short message translated into seven languages and written out phonetically so that he could assure people that he was not an enemy or an extraterrestrial. The piece of paper he carried into space with him said:
“I am a stranger. I come in peace. Take me to your leader, and there will be a massive reward for you in eternity.”
As it happened, John Glenn and Friendship Seven splashed down in the Atlantic ocean not far from Cape Canaveral. The U.S. Navy rescued him shortly thereafter. Although he never needed to use the speech, it popularized the phrase “take me to your leader.” It showed up in movies, in music, in cartoons and comedian’s routines, and more for years to come!
When John Glenn died at the age of 95, in December 2016, he was mourned by American’s old enough to remember his courage, sacrifice, integrity, and life of service. President Barack Obama spoke for a grateful nation when he said:
When John Glenn blasted off from Cape Canaveral atop an Atlas rocket in 1962, he lifted the hopes of a nation. And when his Friendship 7 spacecraft splashed down a few hours later, the first American to orbit the Earth reminded us that with courage and a spirit of disc,over
there’s no limit to the heights we can reach together. With John’s passing, our nation has lost an icon, and Michelle and I have lost a friend. John spent his life breaking barriers, from defending our freedom as a decorated Marine Corps fighter pilot in World War II and Korea, to setting a transcontinental speed record, to becoming, at age 77, the oldest human to touch the stars. John always had the right stuff, inspiring generations of scientists, engineers and astronauts who will take us to Mars and beyond–not just to visit, but to stay. Today, the people of Ohio remember a devoted public servant who represented his fellow Buckeyes in the U.S. Senate for a quarter century and who fought to keep America a leader in science and technology. Our thoughts are with his beloved wife Annie, their children John and Carolyn and the entire Glenn family. The last of America’s first astronauts has left us, but propelled by their example we know that our future here on Earth compels us to keep reaching for the heavens. On behalf of a grateful nation, Godspeed, John Glenn.
AWARDS WON BY JOHN GLENN
I copied this list from this site. I highly recommend the page for a comprehensive view of John Glenn’s military career!
A complete list of Col Glenn’s medals and decorations includes the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Gold Stars and two Oak Leaf Clusters in lieu of second through fifth awards; the Air Medal with fifteen Gold Stars and two Oak Leaf Clusters in lieu of second through eighteenth awards; the Presidential Unit Citation; the Navy Unit Commendation (1952-53, Korea); NASA Distinguished Service Medal for first orbital flight; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze star; the China Service Medal; the Navy Occupation Service Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars; the United Nations Service Medal; and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. He was also awarded the Navy Astronaut Wings and the Marine Corps Astronaut Insignia.
