NASA Introduces the Mercury Astronauts
April 9, 1959

Ladies and gentlemen, today we are introducing to you, and to the world, these seven men who have been selected to begin training for orbital space flight. Which of these men will be first to orbit the Earth, I cannot tell you. He won't know himself until the day of the flight. From your right, Malcom S. Carpenter, Leroy G. Cooper, John H. Glenn, Virgil I. Grissom, Walter M. Schirra, Alan B. Shepard, Donald K. Slayton.

These, ladies and gentlemen, are the nation's Mercury astronauts.