Remembering Walter Cronkite and His Visit to Spartanburg

Walter Cronkite played a huge role in one of the proudest moments in the history of WSPA-TV.

He came to Spartanburg on March 19, 1977 to participate in the gold shovel ground-breaking ceremony of the station's new facility at Interstates 85 and 26 which opened in April 1979 and where we broadcast to this day.

During that trip, Cronkite also visited the station's old facility in downtown Spartanburg and gave a speech to the Spartanburg County Foundation at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium.

Former News Channel 7 photojournalist Mike Allen documented Cronkite's visit to Spartanburg.

Mike tells me, "(Walter Cronkite) was one of the nicest people I ever spent time with. He was extremely cordial and friendly to everybody he came in contact with. The one thing in my career I look back on with much appreciation was that I had the chance to meet him. I met a real American legend when i met him."

I also reached former WSPA-TV anchor Dave Handy, who said of Walter Cronkite, "I don't there will ever be another anchorperson with that kind of authority and prestige."

I spoke as well with former WSPA-TV personality Nancy Welch. She has a great Cronkite story you should read on her website, www.nancywelch.net (click "About Nancy").

Like many of you, I remember watching Cronkite keep our nation informed on the Vietnam War, the Kennedy assassination, the civil rights era and so many other major events.

His passing comes just days from the 40th anniversary of one of his greatest broadcast moments. He was anchoring July 20, 1969 as the first man walked on the moon.

Some of you have shared comments about Walter Cronkite on my Facebook page as well:

Charles Conrad: "(My wife Susan) remembers him crying when John Kennedy was assassinated. I remember he reported the nightly casualty reports during the Vietnam War."

Ken Bohn: "An icon of American history, in fact the history of most of our lives, has passed. My condolences to his family and to all of America, for we have lost a true legend."

Kimberly Williams Shell: "Very sad; loved watching him as a child."

As impressed as I was by his work, I was also impressed by how he left the anchor desk. He packed it in while he was still popular, before anyone showed him the door.

He also embraced Katie Couric's hiring by CBS when he lent his announcer voice to the opening of her nightly broadcast.

Walter, thanks for giving us someone to trust and a tremendous example to follow.