My dinner with John Glenn

I was saddened to hear recently of the death of John Glenn, fighter pilot, one of the original astronauts, former U.S. Senator and a hero to many. He died Dec. 8 at age 95.

I had my own experience meeting Sen. Glenn. It was March 2006. My dad, University of Iowa space physicist James Van Allen, had been selected to receive the Robert H. Goddard Award from the National Space Club and Foundation in Washington, D.C. He was 91 years old and did feel up to making the travel, so he asked me to accept the award and make a speech on his behalf.

So there I was at the Watergate hotel in Washington, a nonscientist asked to speak on my dad's behalf. My only option was to talk about the father I knew - and the lessons he taught me.

As the various dignitaries and speakers were lined up to be announced - this was the organization's big annual event, a black-tie gala dinner with several hundred guests - I found myself next to Glenn. We chatted and someone took a picture of us - my wife Jennifer, my sister Sarah, Glenn, myself (and in the background, the head of NASA, Michael D. Griffin).

We were lined up to be 'introduced” as honored guests as we came in. We were led from a VIP Lounge to the main ballroom through a long hallway. As we walked, we fell into a kind of military column, or line. I followed the astronaut and former senator. As a military man, he was used to walking in a column and took measured paces, swinging his arms. I followed suit, falling into step.

As we came through a doorway, I had a sudden vision of the scene from the movie 'The Right Stuff” - when they finally earn their astronaut suits. There's a long shot where they're walking through a long hallway, with a kind of ‘Let's get this done' swagger - shot in slow motion, with the astronauts appearing out of a fog. Suddenly, I was Dennis Quaid following Ed Harris.

To my surprise, I was also seated next to Glenn at a long table on the stage, in front of hundreds of people at tables on the main floor.

Over dinner, we chatted like we were old friends - at least that's how he treated me. Glenn was born July 18, 1921, in Cambridge, Ohio. He went to Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio.

He said in 1942 he was stationed in Iowa City for three months. At that time, the preflight training program was based there. Training consisted of classes and physical training, with no actual flying. As a marine, he flew 59 missions in World War II and another 90 in Korea.

Were you ever shot down as a fighter pilot, I asked.

'Never shot down. Hit a few times, but never shot down,” he said. He had gunfire and, once, an exploding shell hit the plane, but he was never hit in a place that would have 'compromised” the flight.

In the early 1960s, he was one of the original seven Mercury astronauts. He went to space again at age 77. He retired as a U.S. Senator in 1999. He and his wife Annie, who were childhood sweethearts growing up in Ohio, still lived in Columbus, Ohio, in a condo. He told me he loved watching old westerns, and had recently watched 'The Cheyenne Social Club,” which starred Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda. He loved John Wayne movies.

'I must have seen ‘True Grit' 20 times. I love that movie,” Glenn said.

He spoke with a quiet confidence. He had fierce blue eyes, surrounded by crows feet and freckled skin. His hair was still the classic short buzz cut of his marine days. He was taller than I thought he'd be. In 'The Right Stuff,” he was portrayed by Ed Harris, who had some of the physical features - the eyes and the hairline - but not the square jaw or the height. Glenn was 5'10”, solidly built, even at age 84. IMDB lists Harris at 5'9”.

By the second course, people were lining up for his autograph.

'Senator Glenn,” one woman started, 'I'm from Lakewood, Ohio, and I've always been a fan of yours. Would you mind signing the program?” Another woman approached him and said: 'I was in 6th grade when you made your orbit around the earth. It was my job to track your progress every day.”

He was gracious. He'd ask them their name and, often how to spell it. Then, with a felt-tip pen, he'd slowly write a short note in his careful cursive. 'Dear ----, with best regards - John Glenn 3-17-06.”

People kept coming up in a steady stream. He was a rock star.

At one point, John Glenn leaned over to me and said, 'Does your dad prefer James or Jim?” I said a lot of people call him Jim. He took his place card - the one with the emblem of the National Space Club Washington, D.C., with Senator Glenn in black ink - and took out a blue felt-tip pen. Taking his time, writing in slow penmanship with pauses, he wrote: 'To Jim - With best regards and congratulation on receiving the ‘Goddard' - honors your great career, and well deserved - Good luck! John Glenn 3-17-06.”

I gave my speech about my dad. Later, I finally got back to Sen. Glenn and asked if he could sign my program. On the page that showed rockets, planets, satellites and the words, 'Reaching for the stars and bringing benefits back to Earth,” he wrote: 'To Peter - with best regards. Enjoyed having dinner with you - Good luck - John Glenn 3-17-06”

' Peter Van Allen, who delivered The Gazette when he was growing up in Iowa City, now lives with his wife Jen and son in Yarmouth, Maine. Comments: petervanallen@gmail.com