President Nixon, Mrs. Nixon, and Apollo 12 Astronauts Mingle in Cross Hall
In this photograph, taken by National Geographic photographer Joseph J. Scherschel, President Richard M. Nixon, First Lady Pat Nixon, astronauts from the Apollo 12 lunar exploration mission, and their wives converse in the Cross Hall. The crew of Apollo 12 included the second group of astronauts to walk on the moon, on November 19-20, 1969. Cdr. Pete Conrad, his wife, Jane; lunar module pilot Alan Bean, his wife, Sue; and command module pilot Richard F. Gordon, Jr. and his wife, Barbara were the overnight guests of President and Mrs. Nixon at the White House on December 20-21, 1969. In this photograph, the Nixons, the astronauts, and their spouses wait to receive visitors for a worship service in the East Room, which was attended by 325 guests on on December 21, 1969.