Frank McGee - Woodville, Va. - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

Frank McGee was born in Monroe, Louisiana on September 12, 1921. He father was an oil field worker and soon after Frank was born the family moved to Norman, Oklahoma where he grew up. He joined the Oklahoma Nation Guard and served in the U. S. Army during World War II. After completing his military service, he began his broadcasting career at KGFF in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He eventually moved to Montgomery, Alabama where he became news director for WSFA -TV. During this period, he covered the civil right movement and gain the attention of NBC News who eventually offered him a job with the Network. During his career with NBC, Frank McGee cover some of the most important events of the 1960’s, including political conventions, the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Senator Robert Kennedy. He also was a prominent figure during the networks coverage of the space program, including the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. In the 1970’s he became the co-anchor of “The NBC Nightly News,” before moving on to host “The Today Show” n 1971. Frank McGee made his final TV appearance on “The Today Show” one April 11, 1974. He died 6-days later at the age of 52. Frank McGee is buried in the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Cemetery in Woodville, Virginia.

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Senator Eugene McCarthy is resting just a few feet away.
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Description: Frank McGee was born on September 12, 1921 in Monroe, Louisiana. At an early age his family moved to Norman, Oklahoma so his father could find work in the oil fields. A veteran of the Military, Frank served in the United States Army during World War II. Following his military service, he began his broadcasting career at KGFF in Shawnee, Oklahoma before moving on to WKY-TV in Oklahoma City. In 1955 he became the news director at WSFA-TV in Montgomery, Alabama where Frank covered the civil right movement. His work during the early days of the civil rights movement brought him recognition from the NBC News, which eventually lead to him joining the Network. After joining the network Frank McGee covered some of the most important events of the 1960’s. He was a floor reporter for the both National Political Conventions in 1960, 1964, and the turbulent conventions of 1968. During the conventions he was one of NBC’s 4-horsement, joining John Chancellor, Edwin Newman and Sander Vanocur. He was very prominent in the networks coverage of the assassination of President Kennedy, joining anchor Chet Huntley in the “flash studio” talking by telephone to correspondent Robert McNeil who was in Dallas. McNeil would be speaking directly to McGee, who would repeat the report to the Television viewers. In 1967, McGee was one of the first reporters to be embedded with the 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War. His reporting from the battlefield was clear and factual giving the American people a first-hand view of war directly from the battlefield. Returning from Vietnam, McGee covered the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and was one the air live when word came the Senator Robert Kennedy had been shot following an appearance at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Frank McGee also was a prominent anchor during NBC’s Coverage of our space program including the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon Landing. With the retirement of Chet Huntley in 1970, Frank McGee joined David Brinkley and John Chancellor as the anchors of the NBC Nightly News. In 1971, Hugh Downs retired as host of “The Today Show” and McGee was named his replacement. He remained with “The Today Show” until his death in 1974. He last appeared on “The Today Show” was on April 11, 1974, just six days before he lost his battle with cancer. Frank McGee died on April 17, 1974 and is resting in the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Cemetery in Woodville Virginia Date of birth: 09/12/1921 Date of death: 04/17/1974 Area of notoriety: Entertainment Marker Type: Horizontal Marker Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily - Dawn to Dusk Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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