John Glenn

Notable events from our shared experience

Noteworthy events from our shared experience

It was visible for just five seconds or so, gliding between the buildings on L Street here in Washington, D.C., but I still managed to raise my camera and snap one last shot of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it headed toward its final home at Dulles International Airport this morning.

Where were you? Fifty years ago this week, my whole kindergarten class gathered in Mrs. Kipp's room to hear the news reports as John Glenn became the first American to soar into orbit (no classroom TVs in those days-a transistor radio did the job).