John Glenn Death Anniversary: Facts, Photos Of First American To Orbit Earth

Dec. 8 marks the 1-year death anniversary of the legendary astronaut, John Glenn, who is known for being the first American to orbit the earth.

At the time both president-elect Donald Trump and President Barack Obama issued statements mourning the loss of the legendary astronaut. "With John's passing, our nation has lost an icon and Michelle and I have lost a friend," Obama said, CNN reported. "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… 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," Obama added.

Trump, then president-elect, sent out the following tweet to commemorate the occasion:

This year, organizers are trying to collect funding to sculpt a John Glenn statue that will be placed in front of John Glenn Post Office in Glenn's birthplace, Cambridge, Ohio, according to CBS affiliated 10 TV. Here are a few facts to know about Glenn:

1) Glenn was born July 18, 1921, and attended primary and secondary schools in New Concord, Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. He was awarded honorary doctoral degrees from nine colleges and universities, including Muskingum College.

2) Glenn is survived by his widow, Annie, and their two children, Lyn and Dave, and their two grandchildren.

3) Glenn’s flight on Friendship 7 on Feb. 20, 1962, around the earth’s orbit made him a national hero. But in his endeavor to make his country proud, he had to face a number of challenges, the biggest one being a life and death situation following the failure of the automatic control system. It took a man of Glenn’s caliber to push through the serious obstacle.

"I went to manual control and continued in that mode during the second and third orbits, and during re-entry," Glenn recalled later, according to his NASA profile. "The malfunction just forced me to prove very rapidly what had been planned over a longer period of time."

4) Glenn entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in March 1942. He graduated and was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1943. Glenn resigned as an astronaut on Jan. 16, 1964. He was promoted to colonel in October 1964 and retired from the Marine Corps on Jan. 1, 1965.

5) Glenn served four terms as a U.S. senator from Ohio and was one of NASA's original seven Mercury astronauts. He also ran for president in 1984, according to the local news outlet Dayton Daily News.

6) At 77, He became the oldest person to fly into space as a crew member on the shuttle Discovery in 1998.

7) Glenn was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Obama during a ceremony held at the White House on May 29, 2016.

8) A memorial service was held for Glenn in Columbus, Ohio, in December 2016, and he was laid to rest in April at Arlington National Cemetery after a private funeral ceremony.