THE JOURNEY of Apollo 16 has ended, but the contributions of this mission to scientific progress have only begun. Rarely if ever has so much new information been made available to science in such a brief period. As the work of evaluation and analysis goes forward, the impact of Apollo 16 will be felt for many years to come.
On behalf of all Americans, I am pleased to welcome Astronauts Young, Duke, and Mattingly back to Earth and to salute them for a job well done. Their skill, their courage, and their enthusiasm have written another proud chapter in the stirring story of mankind's struggle to unlock the mysteries of the unknown.
Note: The statement was released at Key Biscayne, Fla.
The President telephoned the astronauts, Capt. John W. Young, USN, Lt. Col. Charles M. Duke, Jr., USAF, and Lt. Comdr. Thomas K. Mattingly II, USN, aboard the U.S.S. Ticonderoga in the Pacific to express his personal congratulations on the successful completion of their mission.
Richard Nixon, Statement Following Splashdown of Apollo 16. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/254721