The first American astronaut to orbit the Earth and the first men to walk on the moon will receive the US Congress's highest honor at a ceremony on November 16, a top lawmaker announced Friday.
Astronauts John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin will receive the congressional gold medal at the US Capitol, Republican House Speaker John Boehner announced in a statement.
Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962, Armstrong and Aldrin made history on July 20, 1969 by becoming the first humans to walk on the moon, while Collins piloted their Apollo 11 command module.
(c) 2011 AFP
