Remarks at the Presentation of a Commission to Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr.

Colonel Glenn, Secretary Nitze, ladies and gentlemen:

This is a very unusual and very peculiar pleasure for me this morning to have with us one of our most distinguished Americans and his family. I would not have this privilege if we had followed Colonel Glenn's wishes, because he felt an unselfishness that is all too rare among all of us and particularly among people in the Federal Government.

Colonel Glenn felt that his promotion would take from another worthy American a reward that he did not want to see him deprived of. And rather than do that, he would be willing to forego it himself. There are few people who reason that way.

I first got to know Colonel Glenn real well when I met him early one morning at the culmination of a very exciting adventure at the Grand Turk Island. As you know, he was the first American in outer space. The thing that impressed me deeply was that Colonel Glenn did not just see the potentialities of space. He did not just see outer space. Colonel Glenn had a very penetrating look into the future. And in seeing space, he was seeing the future of all mankind.

Another thing that impressed me greatly was that each of the astronauts was given the reward, I guess I should say the privilege, of naming his own ship. Characteristically of his patriotism, his vision, and his love of his fellow man, Colonel Glenn named his capsule "Friendship."

So this morning I insisted that he come here to the first house of the land to receive from his Commander in Chief an honor that he did not seek and one that he did not desire--a promotion in rank. Now I went to the Congress with this matter. It was individual. And we were all unanimous that it was wonderful for him to feel that he should not take this promotion from another man, but that by adding one he would not do it, and we should not be deprived of doing what we knew was right.

And so I have just signed his commission as a full colonel in one of the greatest organizations ever known to man, and I have proudly done so. But even the President promoting Colonel Glenn does not equal the high rank that he has already received from all the American people.

He is the kind of man that you would want your boy to be. He is the kind of man that we want all Americans to emulate. And he is the kind of fellow that I like to call my friend.