On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard piloted the Freedom 7 mission and became the second person, and the first American, to travel into space
He was the first American in space!
Second Man in Space and Lunar Golfer Alan Shepard (1923-1998) was a US astronaut and a CDR (later RADM) in the US Navy. He was the first American into space, and the second man in space after Yuri...
Alan Shepard was the first American in space
He flew in space on 5/5/1961. It was a sub orbit flight.