Charlie Duke is one of the most accomplished and historic figures of the American space program. One of only 12 men to ever walk on the Moon, Duke was the youngest to do so during NASA’s Apollo missions and is one of only six moonwalkers still living today.
Born on October 3, 1935, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke was raised in Lancaster, South Carolina, where his early academic excellence and leadership potential became evident. He graduated as valedictorian from the Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, before earning a Bachelor of Science in Naval Sciences from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1957. He later received a Master of Science in Aeronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1964.
Duke’s distinguished career includes numerous academic honors, including an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of South Carolina (1973), an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Francis Marion College (1990), and an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Clemson University (2012).
Following his historic Apollo 16 mission, Duke experienced a profound personal transformation, becoming a committed Christian. He remains active in Christian ministry and frequently shares reflections on leadership, purpose, faith, and the human perspective gained from space exploration.
General Duke and his wife, Dorothy Meade Clairborne of Atlanta, Georgia, reside in New Braunfels, Texas. They have two sons and nine grandchildren. In his free time, Duke enjoys hunting, fishing, reading, and playing golf.
Widely respected for both his professional achievements and his personal journey, Charlie Duke continues to inspire audiences around the world with a rare perspective shaped by exploration, service, and reflection beyond Earth.
