Social media lights up with 95th birthday wishes for John Glenn

John Glenn

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Pioneering astronaut John Glenn is being showered with birthday recognition by people on social media, NASA and residents in his home state of Ohio.

The first American to orbit the Earth was trending on Twitter on Monday as he turned 95.

The NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland was among organizations tweeting about Glenn’s birthday. It posted a 2012 photo of Glenn signing baseballs for fans during NASA Glenn Day at Progressive Field. Photos from Glenn’s space and military careers also were abundant online.

Ohio State University, home of the Glenn College of Public Affairs, also posted well wishes to the former senator, record-breaking aviator and combat pilot.

The John & Annie Glenn Historic Site in New Concord, Ohio, marked the occasion Sunday with free admission to Glenn’s boyhood home.