Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. was an iconic American broadcast journalist who served as the anchorman for the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981. He became known as "the most trusted man in America" for his authoritative and credible reporting on pivotal events including the Vietnam War—where his 1968 editorial calling the war unwinnable influenced public opinion—the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Watergate scandal, and the Apollo 11 moon landing. His career spanned print, radio, and television; he covered major events including World War II and presidential conventions. Cronkite signed off each broadcast with the iconic phrase, "And that's the way it is." He received numerous accolades including two Peabody Awards, an Emmy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After retiring from CBS in 1981, he continued narrating documentaries until his death on July 17, 2009, at age 92.