John Glenn was the first person who was American to circle the Earth.
John Herschel Glenn Jr. ( July 18 , 1921 -- December 8 , 2016 ) was a United States Marine Corps aviator , engineer , astronaut , and United States Senator from Ohio . In 1962 he was the first American to orbit the Earth , circling it three times . On February 20 , 1962 , Glenn flew the Friendship 7 mission ; the first American to orbit the Earth , he was the fifth person in space .