It's been announced that Emmy-winning news correspondent Robert Pierpoint has died, aged 86. His daughter Marta Pierpoint told the Associated Press that he died Saturday, of complications arising from hip surgery at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

In a career spanning more than four decades Pierpoint covered six presidents, the Korean War, the Kennedy assassination, Watergate and the Iranian hostage crisis. He entered the CBS news room in 1949 as it was shifting from radio to TV under Ed Murrow, and he made his name covering the Korean War.

Pierpoint covered the Korean War from start to finish, and although he reported mostly on radio, his reports focusing on individual soldiers and civilians caught up in the conflict were featured in the landmark CBS 'See it Now' broadcasts including the premiere in November 1951 and 'Christmas in Korea' in December 1953.

His contribution was later honored in the 'M*A*S*H' series finale in 1983 when, in a case of art imitating life, it is Pierpoint's voice heard on the radio announcing the end of the Korean War.

You know, this would answer so many questions as to why Fred Rogers, host of the legendary Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, was the quiet, personable man we saw on television every day; deep down inside he was a skilled Marine sniper and he needed the calm persona to hide his honed killing skills.

However, this is all urban legend. The rumors began in the early 1990's when Rogers' military exploits became a hot topic on the Internet. At first he was a Marine sniper with nearly 40 kills during the Korean conflict of the 1950's. As the decade wore on he became a Vietnam vet with tattoos all over his arms (hence the sweaters and long sleeve shirts). By the time of his death in 2003 Fred Rogers was no longer a Marine sniper, but a Navy Seal with over 25 kills in Vietnam.

In reality Mr. Rogers never served any time in the military. In fact, after graduating from college in 1951 Rogers embarked on a nearly uninterrupted broadcasting career that lasted over 50 years and became an ordained minister in 1962.

As for his dealings with the mafia and his involvement with the Kennedy assassination . . . Well, that's a story for another day.