APOLLO ASTRONAUT NAMED ‘TEXAN OF THE YEAR’

  

An Apollo astronaut, who walked on the moon 47 years ago, has been named 2020 Texan of the Year.

Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke was honored by the Texas Legislative Conference, a nonpartisan organization of Texas business and political leaders who meet annually to focus on public policy issues.

In 1972 Duke became the youngest man to ever walk on the moon, the former astronaut was honored Tuesday for his accomplishments in his adopted home state

Duke, who lives in New Braunfels and was the lunar module piolt on the Apollo 16 mission to the moon in April 1972.  The fifth mission to land on the lunar surface, Apollo 16 focused on conducting science experiments and using the lunar rover. Duke and his commander, John Young, spent 20 hours exploring the surface.

A South Carolina native, Duke has called Texas home since 1975.