Walter Cronkite

Walter Cronkite
Cronkite in 1983
Born
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr.

(1916-11-04)November 4, 1916
DiedJuly 17, 2009(2009-07-17) (aged 92)
New York City, U.S.
Resting placeMount Moriah Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Texas at Austin
Occupations
  • Television and radio broadcaster
  • news anchor
Years active1935–2009
Spouse
Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" Maxwell
(m. 1940; died 2005)
Children3, including Kathy

Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. Cronkite received numerous honors including two Peabody Awards, a George Polk Award, an Emmy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Cronkite reported many events from 1937 to 1981, including bombings in World War II; the Nuremberg trials; combat in the Vietnam War; the Dawson's Field hijackings; Watergate; the Iran Hostage Crisis; and the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr., and Beatles musician John Lennon. He was also known for his extensive coverage of the American space program, from Project Mercury to the Moon landings to the Space Shuttle. He was the only non-NASA recipient of an Ambassador of Exploration award. Cronkite is known for his departing catchphrase, "And that's the way it is", followed by the date of the broadcast.