Who stayed in lunar orbit as command module pilot during Apollo 12?

Richard Gordon stayed in lunar orbit as command module pilot during Apollo 12. He operated the command module Yankee Clipper while Pete Conrad and Alan Bean descended to the Moon in the Lunar Module Intrepid.

Apollo 12 launched on November 14, 1969, and became the second crewed mission to land on the Moon. Gordon remained in orbit around the Moon, photographing possible future landing areas and conducting observations while the surface crew explored Oceanus Procellarum and visited the Surveyor 3 spacecraft.

A common mix-up is with Alfred Worden, who served as Apollo 15’s command module pilot, or Ronald Evans, who held the same role on Apollo 17. Stuart Roosa was Apollo 14’s command module pilot. Gordon’s role was essential because he maintained Yankee Clipper and performed the rendezvous needed to reunite the crew before the return journey.

Gordon had previously flown with Conrad on Gemini 11. Apollo 12 was his only lunar mission, but his work in orbit helped make the precision landing and safe return possible.