Michael Burgan - John Glenn

Dear Reader:

Childhood of Famous Americans series, seventy years old in 2002, chronicles the early years of famous American men and women in an accessible manner. Each book is faithful in spirit to the values and experiences that influenced the persons development. History is fleshed out with fictionalized details, and conversations have been added to make the stories come alive to todays reader, but every reasonable effort has been made to make the stories consistent with the events, ethics, and character of their subjects.

These books reaffirm the importance of our American heritage. We hope you learn to love the heroes and heroines who helped shape this great country. And by doing so, we hope you also develop a lasting love for the nation that gave them the opportunity to make their dreams come true. It will do the same for you.

Happy Reading!

The Editors

John Glenn

Young Astronaut

illustrated by Robert S. Brown

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If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

First Aladdin Paperbacks edition October 2000

Text copyright 2000 by Michael Burgan

Illustrations copyright 2000 by Robert S. Brown

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6 8 10 9 7

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 00-106363

ISBN-13: 978-0-689-83397-7 (Aladdin pbk.)
e-ISBN: 978-1-439-11329-5

ISBN-10: 0-689-83397-0 (Aladdin pbk.)

John Glenn

Young Astronaut

Listen to those tires hum, Bud.

I hear it, Dad.

And feel the wind in your face.

Eight-year-old John Glenn, Jr., nodded as the warm breeze brushed his cheeks. What a day! The summer sun was shining, red and blue wildflowers dotted the roadside, and his father was taking him on a car trip. They were only going to nearby Cambridge, not far from the Glenns home in New Concord, Ohio. But to John, it was still a great adventure. He liked riding along the road, moving, feeling the speed of the car on the brick highway.

Mr. Glenn was on his way to a job. John Herschel Glenn, Sr., was a plumber in New Concord. He sometimes had work in Cambridge. John, Jr.Bud, to his familyhad been born in Cambridge in 1921. But John didnt remember much about his years there. The Glenn family had moved to New Concord when he was still a toddler.

It only took Mr. Glenn a few minutes to check out the plumbing job in Cambridge. Then the father and son were back on the road.

Bud, Mr. Glenn said. Look over there.

John followed his fathers finger as it pointed over to the left. A plane! John cried.

Want to take a closer look? Mr. Glenn asked.

Could we, Dad? Please?

Mr. Glenn slowed the car and turned off the road. The small plane sat in a field. Airports in the 1920s were simple. Sometimes they were only a strip of mown grass in a meadow. Mr. Glenn stopped the car near the plane, and John scrambled out.

A man stood near the plane, tinkering with its engine. He wore a leather jacket, and a pair of goggles sat high on his head. He must be the pilot. John thought he looked like Steve Canyon, a hero from the comic strips. The man looked up as John ran over. Hey there, sport, the pilot said.

Hello, sir, John replied.

The man smiled as Mr. Glenn approached the plane. Polite kid you got here, mister.

We try, Mr. Glenn said. He walked beside the plane. Shes a beauty. Dont you think so, Bud?

John could only nod silently. He was in awe. He stared at the wings and imagined what it would be like to fly. Driving in the car was okay, but to be up in the air! Soaring over the trees, over the houses in New Concord, flying across the country!

Dont get too close, Bud, Mr. Glenn warned. You dont want to break anything.

He cant hurt it, the pilot said. Go ahead, sport, touch the wing.

Dad? John asked, looking at his father. Mr. Glenn smiled.

You know what this is? the pilot asked.

A biplane. John replied. But Im not sure what kind.

Shes a Waco. And she flies really sweet.

I bet, John said. He noticed two open cockpits in the small plane. John imagined himself in front, flying the Waco. Straight up, and then down fast, and into a loop, then turning, turning

Bud? Mr. Glenns voice snapped John out of his daydream. Did you hear me?

N-no, sir, John said hesitantly.

Mr. Glenn crouched down next to his son. I said, if you like, we can go up.

In the plane?

Well, I dont think we can get the car more than a few feet off the ground. Come on, I bet we can work out something with the pilot here. The two men smiled and winked at each other.

You mean it? John asked his father.

Of course I do. And if you dont want to go up Ill just have to go by myself.

John began to bounce up and down. No, no, Dad, I want to, I want to!

Mr. Glenn looked at the pilot. You think he really wants to? He took out his wallet, handed the pilot a few bills, then climbed into the rear cockpit.

The pilot boosted John into the seat after him. All strapped in? the pilot asked.

All set, Mr. Glenn said.

Then lets fly!

The pilot climbed in and started the engine. The Wacos roar filled Johns ears as the plane rolled down the grassy strip. He could barely see out of the cockpit. But John could feel the motion, the increasing speed. Suddenly he lurched back in his seat. They were off the ground! Mr. Glenn tried to talk over the buzz of the engine, but all John heard was the air rushing all around him. The plane banked to the left, and John could finally see the earth below them. The houses and barns in Cambridge looked like the little toy buildings he made out of blocks. John wanted the flight to go on forever, but in a few minutes they were back at the airfield. The plane bounced along the grass before coming to a stop.

What did you think? the pilot asked.

John sat back for a moment in his seat. It was I mean wow!

I think he liked it, Mr. Glenn said.

John still fumbled for words. I felt like it was I felt like I was Charles Lindbergh!

The two men laughed.

So you know all about Lucky Lindy, do you? the pilot asked.

Sure I do, John answered. Everybody does.

Two years before, Charles Lindbergh made aviation history. On a long, lonely, dangerous flight, Lucky Lindy flew from New York to France without stopping. It was the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. When Lindbergh returned to the United States, he was a hero.