Eugene Cernan was an American astronaut and naval aviator, best known for being the last person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. Born on March 14, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois, he flew on three spaceflights, including Gemini 9A and Apollo 10, before his historic lunar landing. Cernan's contributions to space exploration extended beyond his lunar walk; he played a significant role in the development of space technology and training for future astronauts. He passed away on January 16, 2017, leaving a legacy as a pioneer in human spaceflight.