Apollo 16 Moonwalker: Duke Reflects On Mission’s 50th Anniversary

Duke, 86, has visited his Apollo 16 spaceship at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center to mark the 50th anniversary of his one and only trip to the lunar surface.

Only four of the 12 U.S. astronauts who walked on the moon are still alive, and Duke stays busy with speaking engagements.

Duke said he still has vivid memories from the journey, which was the next-to-last U.S. mission to land on the moon.

His face lit up during an interview recalling his initial thoughts upon stepping off the lunar lander on to the dusty surface.

“I mean, ‘I’m on the moon!’ I can’t believe it. Even today it’s an exciting thought,” the North Carolina native said.

The late John Young was first out of the lander and walked on the moon with Duke, while Ken Mattingly orbited the moon in the command module, nicknamed “Casper.”