John Glenn through the years

This undated photo shows John Glenn's first home. His parents lived in Cambridge from 1919 until 1923, when they moved to New Concord.

The Honorable Thomas S. Gates, Jr., Secretary of the Navy presents Major John H. Glenn, Jr. with the Distinguished Flying Cross in a ceremony in the Secretary's office in this undated photo.

Major John Glenn is pictured in New Concord with his two children, David and Carolyn (better known as Lyn) and his wife Annie in this December 1953 file photo.

John Glenn is shown in this undated file photo.

Glenn is shown in the cockpit of the Crusader jet which he piloted from coast to coast in three hours an 23 minutes on July 16, 1957 to set a new record.

John Glenn signs and autograph for a young admirer in this September 1957 file photo.

David Glenn, 11, wearing the flight helmet his famous dad wore on his record-breaking flight across the continent, watches as his father traces the flight route he followed across Ohio in this September 1957 file photo.

John and Annie Glenn, sweethearts since childhood, pose outside New Concord High School in this September 1957 file photo. Both attended the school before entering Muskingum College.

John Glenn holds a model plane in this August 1957 file photo.

Major Glenn received a hero's welcome September 1957 when he returned to New Concord for the weekend Labor Day celebration after his record-breaking jet flight earlier that year. The event, which featured a parade and an award ceremony, drew more than 10,000 spectators. Glenn is shown with his wife and their children during the parade.

John Glenn runs inspections in this undated photo.

The original seven Mercury astronauts pose in their silver spacesuits in this 1961, file photo. First row, from left, are: Walter Schirra Jr., Donald Slayton, John Glenn and Scott Carpenter. Second row, from left, are: Alan Shepard, Jr., Virgil Grissom and Gordon Cooper. Cooper, one of the original Mercury astronauts who were pioneers in human space exploration, has died. He was 77. Cooper died Monday, Oct. 4, 2004, at his home in Ventura, NASA officials said in a statement.

John Glenn is shown in this undated file photo.

Mr. and Ms. John Glenn Sr. stand outside their home in New Concord in this May 1961 file photo. Their son John was two-years-old when the family moved into this home.

Mr. and Mrs. John Glenn are photographed in their home in this May 1961 file photo.

Col. John H. Glenn Jr. is shown with members of the Castor and Glenn families the day he received his honorary doctor of science degree at Muskingum College in June 1961. From left are his father and mother; son, Dave, 16; daughter, Lyn, 14; wife Annie and her parents.

The November 30, 1961 Times Recorder.

Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., shown here (center) eating breakfast prior to the launch of his Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) spacecraft. The MA-6 "Friendship 7" mission marks America's first manned Earth-orbiting space flight.

John Glenn prepares for his historic space flight.

John Glenn Jr. is "buttoned into" his space suit just prior to the historic flight which made him the first American to orbit Earth.

John Glenn prepares to board the Friendship 7 Mercury-Atlas spacecraft in this February 1962 file photo.

Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr, and technicians inspect a decal ready for application to the side of his Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) spacecraft prior to launch on Feb. 20, 1962. The decal reads "Friendship 7."

A 16mm camera onboard the Friendship 7 Mercury-Atlas spacecraft took a series of photos of astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr. during his Earth-orbital, Mercury-Atlas 6 space flight February 20, 1962.

The February 21, 1962 Times Recorder.

Shortly after John Glenn's successful orbit the New Concord Town Council displayed a roadside in New Concord. Posing in the February 1962 file photo are Muskingum College Dean Howard Evans, Mayor J.K. Taylor and Maj., D.N. Davis of the 77th Marine Rifle Company stationed in Zanesville.

John Glenn is greeted by his wife Annie when he arrived at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida after his historic space flight in 1962. Vice-President Lyndon Johnson looks on.

John Glenn is greeted by President John Kennedy in this undated photo.

Sheila Hooper, right, a student teacher at Pioneer School from the Ohio University branch has written this song for children dedicated to Astronaut John Glenn. She was assisted by Miss Vivian Yoder, music supervisor for the elementary schools. Mrs. Montgomery, left, first grade teacher at Pioneer and two of her pupils Kevin Schuktheis and Sandra Kay Talbert look on in this March 1962 photo.

A section of road named after John Glenn is shown in this undated file photo.

Lt. Col. John H. Glenn Jr. steps behind the wheel of his car on South Fourth Street while on business in Zanesville during an August 1962 visit with his parents in New Concord.

John Glenn and his wife Annie Glenn watch as his parents sign his nominating petition for the U.S. Senate in this January 1964 photo.

John Glenn is shown in this December 1964 file photo.

Glenn, top, walks out of Westminster United Presbyterian Church in New Concord behind the casket of his father John Glenn Sr. The senior Glenn died September 9, 1966. He was 71-years old.

John Glenn speaks in his Houston home five years after his historic space flight in this February 1967 file photo.

In this January 1968 photo John Glenn uses his right hand to point to the beginning of 975-mile route he followed in retracing journalist Henry Morton Stanley's historic 1871 search for Dr. David Livingston in the then unmapped interior of Africa.

John Glenn signs in at Brown Chapel at Muskingum College. Glenn and Mrs. Annie Glenn returned to New Concord to cast his ballot in the May 1970 primary elections.

John Glenn speaks at the 131st commencement for students at Muskingum College on May 30, 1976. He encouraged the class to exercise "a voracious, insatiable and childlike curiosity" about everything.

John Glenn is shown in this undated file photo.

John Glenn is shown in this undated file photo.

John Glenn is shown in this undated file photo.

Annie Glenn is shown in this 1980 file photo.

John Glenn is shown in a parade in this undated file photo.

John Glenn talks to the media in this 1983 file photo.

John Glenn poses for this 1990 photo.

Artwork of John Glenn.

United States Senator John H. Glenn, Jr. (Democrat-Ohio) prepare to rehearse launch readiness procedures on the mid-deck of a compartment trainer at the Johnson Space Center. Sharon Jones, involved in crew training, goes over a check list in this April 1998 photo. When the payload specialist lifts off aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in October 1998 and later lands in Florida he will be seated in a temporary mid-deck chair like the one used in this training exercise.

John Glenn is shown preparing for his flight aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

John Glenn is shown preparing for his flight aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

John Glenn is shown preparing for his flight aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

John Glenn photographed at Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas in May 1998.

The seven crew members in training for the mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery pose for photographers prior to participating in a training session at the Johnson Space Center pictured from left in this June 1998 photo are Pedro Duque, Curtis L. Brown, Jr., Chiaki Naito-Mukai, United States Senator John H. Glenn, Jr. (Democrat-Ohio), Stephen K. Robinson, Steven W. Lindsey and Scott F. Parazynski.

John Glenn is shown preparing for his flight aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

John Glenn is shown preparing for his flight aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

John Glenn is shown preparing for his flight aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

John Glenn is shown preparing for his return to space.

John Glenn is shown in this December 2001 file photo.

Former senator and astronaut John Glenn and his wife Annie answer questions from the media during an interview. The Glenns returned to their hometown of New Concord, Ohio, today to break ground on the John and Annie Glenn Museum.

Former senator and astronaut John Glenn signs a Friendship 7 replica ornament for an admirer in front of where is boyhood home will be turned into a museum. The house was relocated from Friendship Drive to Main Street in New Concord in this March 2001 file photo.

John Glenn stands on the sidewalk with a group of students while he takes a picture of his boyhood home as it is towed down Main Street in New Concord were it will become a musuem in this March 2001 file photo.

Former astronaut and senator John Glenn walks up from the basement at his childhood home in New Concord in this December 2001 file photo. The home was relocated last year and will be turned into the John and Annie Glenn Museum.

The four surviving Mercury astronauts, from left, Wally Schirra, John Glenn, Gordon Cooper, and Scott Carpenter, are shown in the original Mercury control room at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., in this Feb. 24, 2002, file photo. Cooper, one of the original Mercury astronauts who were pioneers in human space exploration, has died. He was 77. Cooper died Monday, Oct. 4, 2004, at his home in Ventura, Calif., NASA officials said in a statement.

John Glenn signs a poster for Bill Pattison of Cambridge during Glenn's visit to New Concord in this April 2004 file photo.

John Glenn watches Coschocton High School senior Danette Bordenkircher pilot a Space Shuttle flight simulator Monday outside the John and Anne Glenn Historic Site in New Concord in this April 2004 file photo. At left are Bordenkircher's classmates, Chelsea Champagne, left and Cari Tubbs.

John Glenn speaks at a John Kerry and John Edwards rally in Zanesville in this July 2004 file photo.

John Glenn speaks at a John Kerry and John Edwards rally in Zanesville in this July 2004 file photo.

John Glenn speaks at a Zanesville rally for Ohio Senate candidate Terry Anderson in this September 2004 file photo.

Former U.S. Sen. John Glenn, who is Jobs For Ohio campaign chairman, speaks at a news conference Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005, in Columbus, Ohio, to introduce statewide campaign on State Issue 1. The former astronaut and four-term U.S. senator has assumed the role of chairman of the campaign for passage of Issue 1 on Nov. 8. The $2 billion jobs and highway construction bonds issue is one of five voters will decide.

Former U.S. Senator John Glenn stands in front of John Glenn High School in New Concord in this April 2006 file photo. Glenn and his wife Annie were at the school for a dedication of photographs for the school.

John and Annie Glenn watch the Fourth of July parade in New Concord from the porch of the John & Annie Glenn Historic Site in this July 2007 file photo.

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., reacts as she is introduced by former Ohio Sen. John Glenn at a campaign stop at the The Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008.

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., smiles at retired Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, as he introduces her at a campaign stop in Clairsville, Ohio, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008.

John Glenn sits on the panel at a Zanesville Hillary Clinton rally in this February 2008 file photo.

John Glenn Jr., the first American to orbit Earth and former Ohio Senator at a historic gathering of 19 of the astronauts who call Ohio home on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008 in Cleveland.. The gathering of Ohio astronauts is part of NASA's 50th Anniversary celebration.

Neil Armstrong, left, the first man to walk on the moon, John Glenn Jr., center, the first American to orbit earth and former Ohio Senator, and James Lovell, right, commander of Apollo 13 at a historic gathering of 19 of the astronauts who call Ohio home on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008 in Cleveland. The gathering of Ohio astronauts is part of NASA's 50th Anniversary celebration.

In this image provided by NASA Grammy Award-winning producer Quincy Jones, center, presented a platinum copy of 'Fly Me to the Moon', the song he originally produced and performed with Frank Sinatra to Senator John Glenn, left, and Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong during NASA's 50th anniversary gala at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Va. Wednesday Sept. 24, 2008. NASA officially turns 50 on Oct. 1, but the agency celebrated its golden anniversary with an early birthday party on Sept. 24. Senator Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth as an astronaut in NASA's Mercury Program. Neil Armstrong is the first person to set foot on the moon. During the gala, Jones performed 'Fly Me to the Moon' with Frank Sinatra Jr.

National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Class of 2008 honoree Don McPherson, left, who played at Syracuse, shakes hands with NFF Gold Medal recipient former US Senator John Glenn at the NFF and College Hall of Fame annual awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York Tuesday, December 9, 2008.

Coach Lou Holtz , 2008 Hall of Fame recipient from National Football Foundation (NFF) shares a light moment with Gold Medal recipient former US Senator John Glenn at the NFF and College Hall of Fame annual awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York Tuesday, December 9, 2008.

Former U.S. Sen. John Glenn, left, and T. Boone Pickens get together at the news conference for the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame, in New York Tuesday Dec. 9, 2008. Glenn is the organization's 2008 Gold Medal recipient and Pickens is the 2008 Distinguished American Award recipient.

National Football Foundation Chairman Archie Manning, left, greets former U.S. Sen. John Glenn before the news conference for the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame inductees, in New York Tuesday Dec. 9, 2008. Glenn, the organization's 2008 Gold Medal recipient, will be honored at a dinner Tuesday night.

Former U.S. Sen. John Glenn signs a football helmet at the news conference for the National Football Foundation Hal of Fame, in New York Tuesday Dec. 9, 2008. Glenn will get the organization's 2008 Gold Medal their dinner Tuesday night.

T. Boone Pickens, right, honored with the Distinguished American Award, shakes hands with former Senator John Glenn after Pickens accepted his award at the 2008 National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame annual awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008.

Gold Medal recipient former US Sen. John Glenn speaks after accepting the award at the national Football Foundation College Hall of Fame annual awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008.

Annie Glenn is photographed during an interview with her husband at Ohio State University in this March 2009 file photo. John and Annie Glenn serve on the advisory board of the John Glenn School of Public Affairs.

John Glenn speaks about the flight stick from Friendship 7 during an interview with the Times Recorder in this March 2009 file photo. A replica sits in the capsule at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

John Glenn speaks during a campus tour in this March 2009 file photo. Glenn and his wife Annie serve on the advisory board of the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University. The orginal flight stick from the Friendship 7 is on display at Ohio State University. A replica sits in the Friendship 7 capsule at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The orginal flight stick from the Friendship 7 is on display at Ohio State University in this March 2009 file photo.