The Apollo 16 Panel Discussion at the San Diego Air & Space Museum on April 23, 2022 with (L to R) Museum President & CEO Jim Kidrick, Lunar Module Pilot Charlie Duke, Flight Director Gerry Griffin, Aerospace Nurse Dee O'Hara and Chairman of the Museum's Board Mark Larson.

More than 250 guests received a once-in-a-lifetime behind the scenes look into one of the most ambitious and successful missions in space exploration history during the Apollo 16 50th Anniversary Celebration at the San Diego Air & Space Museum on April 23.

Apollo 16 Lunar Module Pilot Charlie Duke, the tenth and youngest man to walk on the Moon, legendary Flight Directors Gerry Griffin and Gene Kranz (via Zoom), and NASA’s original aerospace nurse Dee O’Hara, shared special first-person insights into Apollo 16’s visit to the lunar surface in April 1972, as well as in-depth looks into America’s legacy space missions during the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs.

L to R: Charlie Duke, Gerry Griffin and Dee O'Hara with their commemorative Apollo 16 50th Anniversary posters.

Duke shared his thoughts and feelings about walking on the Moon and talked about two mementos he left on the lunar surface, including a special 25th anniversary commemorative coin honoring the United State Air Force, and a personally signed photograph of Duke’s family.

The evening included detailed panel discussions with Duke, Griffin, Kranz and O’Hara which were expertly hosted by Jim Kidrick, President CEO of the Museum, and Mark Larson, Chairman of the Museum’s Board of Directors. The panel discussion centered around a series of videos describing the mission in elaborate detail, from training before the Mission, to the launch of Apollo 16, the landing and exploration of the Moon, the deployment of the lunar rover, the trip home from the Moon, and final splashdown and recovery at the end of the trip.

Museum President & CEO Jim Kidrick leads the Apollo 16 50th Anniversary Panel Discussion.

Dee O'Hara and Mark Larson discuss Apollo 16.

As always, the celebration offered guests a never to be replicated experience of a lifetime.

Apollo 16's Charlie Duke and Gerry Griffin