Trivia

One daughter from first marriage, Teresa Dawn (Tracy Cernan), born 4 March 1963. Shortly before leaving the moon he parked the lunar rover several hundred yards from the lunar lander, then wrote her initials in the lunar dust. In addition to his stepchildren, he had two grandchildren.

One of only three men to have visited the moon twice. Once from Orbit (Apollo 10) and the second time landing (Apollo 17, which he commanded). The others are Jim Lovell and John Young.

Moonwalker (Apollo 17, December 1972). Last man to take his foot off the moon's surface. As a result his autobiography is called "Last Man on the Moon".

Flew one Gemini and two Apollo flights twice going to the moon. Gemini 9 was scheduled to dock with an Agena target vehicle, but the protective shroud did not eject making it look like "an angry alligator" according to fellow astronaut Thomas P. Stafford. Flying again with Thomas P. Staffordand John Young, the crew flew to the moon on Apollo 10 without landing. The lunar module's call sign was Snoopy while the command module was called Charlie Brown. He commanded Apollo 17 flying with Harrison Schmitt and Ron Evans staying on the moon for three days becoming the last Americans to walk the moon to date. Their lunar module was Challenger while Ron Evans circled the moon in America.

For the launch of Apollo 17, by sundown on Dec. 6, 1972, about 700,000 people had gathered to witness the historic launch. More than fifty of Cernan's personal friends were there by invitation, including celebrities such as John Wayne, Connie Stevens, Bob Hope, Don Rickles, Dinah Shore, Johnny Carson, and Eva Gabor.

Astronaut.

Crew member on Gemini 9 (1966), Apollo 10 (1969), and Apollo 17 (1972) missions.

Two stepdaughters from second marriage, Kelly & Danielle.