Who was the first American astronaut in outer space?

A true hero! "Alan, we have a hundred-something-foot tube of highly explosive fuels. How about you hop on top of that thing and, if it doesn't instantly explode, it should take you up to outer space...then you'll come hurtling back to Earth?Don't worry. We put some parachutes in that should work--so long as they don't get damaged in the flight."

I was all wrong!! Thought it was Armstrong!!