Feb. 26, 1962 - Lieut. Col. John H. Glenn Jr. and his family received a joyous, roaring welcome from their neighbors that almost got out of hand when they arrived home in Arlington, Va., today. Some 750 people — about 75% teenagers and children — were jammed around the home as the Glenns arrived. The cheering crowd pushed forward, broke through the ropes set up by the police to hold them back, and surged forward. Policemen surrounded the Glenns and escorted them up the driveway. The Glenns went inside, but a few minutes later they came out onto the porch. “Coming home to you is like coming home to home folks,” Colonel Glenn told them. “This has been one of the happiest days of my life. I think most all of you must have been downtown. If you weren’t, you were the only ones who weren’t.” As Colonel Glenn finished, the crowd began to sing “for he’s a jolly good fellow.”
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