CBS News' Bob Schieffer announces retirement

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 8 (UPI) -- CBS News' Bob Schieffer on Wednesday said he intends to retire this summer after more than five decades as a journalist.

The Face the Nation anchor made the announcement while speaking at the annual Schieffer Symposium at Texas Christian University, his alma mater.

"Because that was where it all started for me, I wanted this to be the place, and I wanted you all to be the first to know that this summer I'm going to retire," he said. "It's been a great adventure. You know, I'm one of the luckiest people in the world because as a little boy, as a young reporter, I always wanted to be a journalist, and I got to do that. And not many people get to do that, and I couldn't have asked for a better life or something that was more fun and more fulfilling."

"Great talking journalism at @TCU tonight. Also really happy to be in my hometown, where it all started, to announce my retirement," he wrote.

The 78-year-old has been with CBS News for the past 46 years, spending the past 24 as anchor of its Sunday morning news program, Face the Nation.

The Texas native began his career as a reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram where he reported from Vietnam on the war. In 1969 he joined CBS and by 1982 was the network's chief Washington correspondent.