Evening star., 1962-02-23

relatively sparsely settled area
- lined the 14-mile parade
route between the airport
where Col. Glenn landed and
the one where the President
touched down. Actually, it was
|, not one crowd but five separate
ones, strikingly representative
of the varied character of this
palm studded strip of sand
where Americas space hopes
are rooted.
Going from south to north
there was first of all the mill
tary crowd at Patrick Air Force
Base. Then there were the
school kids and old folks of
Cocoa Beach itself-a commu-
nifty of about 3,400 people. This
was strictly a hometown gath
ering, welcoming an old friend
rather than just a new hero.
Along the Strip
North of Cocoa Beach the
parade passed onto the "plati-
mum strip" a line of motels,
some glittering, some merely
tawdry. 1t was a different
crowd along the strip. Instead
of flags and hand scrawled
banners, hybiscus blossoms
and daisies tossed by the young
and old-there were cabaret
performers, entrepreneurs and
just plain hangerson.
Then, the motorcade passed
from the trip to Industry lane"
the stretch about two miles
long where missile contractors
have their offices. And this was
a different crowd, too, curious
crew-cut young men in short
Sleeved shirts and well-shined
shoes who had a professional
rather than merely an emo
tional-feel for what Col. Glenn
had done.
Finally, at 10. o'clock sharp,
Col. Glenn passed through the
guarded gates of Cape Canav-
eral itself. He had been away
exactly 72 hours and 13 min
utes on the greatest adventure
any American had experienced
AS the motorcade picked up
speed to keep its date with the
President, Col. Glenn passed
still another crowd. It was
made up of the people who dc
the work that makes, the space
effort possible.
Outside Hangar S
About $50 of these were wait
ing at the air strip and a some
what larger number were gath
cred outside Hangar S, which
Col. Glenn had left at 500 am
Tuesday for his epochal ride
The great. the near great anc
the merely eager from officia'
Washington came down to gel
aboard Col. Glenn's big day
A mixed group of Senators anc
Representatives flew in from
Washington aboard a sistel
ship of the Presidents aircraft
Escorted by Vice President
johnson and five of his fellow
astronauts, Col. Glenn arrived
back in the United States a
$40 am. after a flight from
Grand Turk Island, near tn,
Bahama Islands.
Col. Glenn had been a.
Grand Turk since Tuesday eve.
ming, being debriefed and ex
amined, until his departur,
this morning.
Inc Glenn family, in thre
convertibles, arrived at Patricl
at 1885 am. In the first ca
was Mrs. Glenn, wearing a re,
suit and red straw pill box hat
with a white orchid corsage
Flanking her on her right wa
her daughter Carolyn, IA, in
yellow dress with a white scar
over her head and also wearin
a white orchid, and on her left
her son David, in a Madras
= type jacket and gray slacks.
: The astronaut's wife an
= children were in a green con
e vertible. Behind them in
D. red car were Col. Glenn's par
n ents, Mr.. and Mrs. John +
v Glenn, sr., of New Concord
/ Ohio, and in a blue convertibl
h behind them, Mr.. and Mr.
n Homer w. Castor, also of Nev
= Concord, parents of Mr.
Glenn.
a; Embraces Family
= Col. Glenn embraced hi
5, daughter, who was waiting a
d the base of the ramp wit
r; other members of the family
t. t. He quickly Rugged his wifi
= and kissed her, holding he
4 4 tightly for a few seconds.
Then, emotion getting a bi
the better of him, he reache
= for his handkerchief an
> dabbed at his eyes.