Mercury GI Joe

Description:	Americas entry into the space race with the Soviet Union came with the 1958 creation of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and the introduction of Project Mercury in 1959. NASA chose to be the first astronauts: Alan Shepard, Gus Grisson, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, Gordon Cooper, and Deke Slayton. They become known as the Mercury Seven. Hasbros 1997 GI Joe line commemorated the history of spaceflight by issuing a Mercury astronaut GI Joe, honoring those pioneering astronauts. GI Joe was the first well known action figure made for boys. In the late 1970s, the three and a half inch GI Joe became popular and less expensive.
Source:	http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/tcm/id/1910
Collection:	The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Rights:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/;
Copyright:	Creative Commons (CC By-SA 3.0);
Subjects:	Project Mercury (U.S.) Astronauts Toys G.I. Joe figures Action figures (Toys)

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