BY PAULINE ARRILLAGA
The Associated Press
HOUSTON - Thirty-six years ago, John Glenn rode through the streets of New York as adoring Americans gathered to salute the nation's first man in orbit.
On Wednesday, thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Houston to honor Mr. Glenn again, this time for becoming the oldest man ever in space.
Four days after returning to Earth from his second historic spaceflight, the 77-year-old astronaut and his crewmates aboard the shuttle Discovery were welcomed back with a Veterans Day parade honoring American heroes.
Deja vu from '62
"This launch back into space has been about the best news all year," said Lewis Thompson, who brought his 5-year-old son to see Mr. Glenn. "I kind of wish he'd run for president."
Mr. Glenn, wearing his blue NASA flight suit, waved and gave the crowd a thumbs-up as he rode in a 1926 Rolls Royce.
Beside him was his wife, Annie, who also rode along in the 1962 parade honoring Mr. Glenn's first trip into space.
Before the parade, Mr. Glenn and his six Discovery crewmates were honored at a luncheon attended by Gov. George W. Bush.
Mr. Glenn said his crewmates and all of the nation's astronauts deserve attention.
"I feel like costume jewelry at Tiffany's compared to these people," he said. "They're the ones who are out there every day doing all the work that has to be done at NASA that benefits you." At the parade, the rest of Discovery's crew and their families rode in antique Thunderbird convertibles. About 50 other astronauts participated.
Spectators let out a raucous cheer as the astronauts went by, and office workers tossed white polystyrene packaging material from skyscrapers.
Nine-year-old Arianna Corona could barely contain her excitement at seeing Mr. Glenn.
"He's the oldest astronaut to go into space, and I want to see space and all the planets," said Arianna, wearing a T-shirt decorated with an emblem of the shuttle Discovery.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: 'JOHN GLENN'S MISSION OF DISCOVERY'
