Charles Duke

Charles Moss Duke Jr., born on October 3, 1935, is a distinguished American former astronaut and United States Air Force officer. He made history as the Lunar Module pilot of Apollo 16 in 1972, becoming the tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon at the age of thirty-six years and two hundred one days. Duke is one of the few surviving Moon walkers, alongside notable figures such as David Scott, Buzz Aldrin, and Harrison Schmitt.

A graduate of the United States Naval Academy in 1957, Duke embarked on a career in the USAF, where he excelled as a fighter pilot with the 526th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron stationed at Ramstein Air Base in West Germany. His advanced flight training on the F-86 Sabre at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia marked him as a distinguished graduate. After completing the Aerospace Research Pilot School in September 1965, he transitioned to an instructor role, teaching control systems and flying various aircraft, including the F-101 Voodoo and F-104 Starfighter.

In April 1966, Duke was selected as one of nineteen men for NASA's fifth astronaut group. He played a pivotal role in the Apollo missions, serving as a member of the astronaut support crew for Apollo 10 and as CAPCOM for the historic Apollo 11 mission. His Southern drawl became iconic as he communicated with the Apollo 11 crew during their landing, famously stating, "Roger, Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot!" Duke also served as the backup Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 13 and later for Apollo 17.

After retiring from NASA on January 1, 1976, Duke continued his service in the Air Force Reserve, where he held various positions, including mobilization augmentee to the Commander of the USAF Basic Military Training Center. He graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1978 and was promoted to brigadier general in 1979, retiring in June 1986. Throughout his career, Duke logged over four thousand one hundred forty-seven hours of flying time, including two hundred sixty-five hours in space, with twenty-one hours and thirty-eight minutes dedicated to extravehicular activities.