John Glenn, American astronaut and senator, first American to go into orbit (born 1921)

John Herschel Glenn Jr. was an American Marine Corps aviator, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space and the first to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1962. Following his retirement from NASA, he served from 1974 to 1999 as a U.S. Senator from Ohio; in 1998, he flew into space again at the age of 77.

December 8 is the 342nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 23 days remain until the end of the year.