Aug 3, 2013 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – John Palmer, a veteran reporter for NBC News over a span of 40 years, has died. Palmer’s wife Nancy confirmed he died Saturday at George Washington University Hospital of pulmonary fibrosis. He was 77.

Palmer worked for NBC from 1962 to 1990, and then from 1994 until 2002.

Palmer served as correspondent in Chicago, Paris and the Middle East, as well as at the White House. He was news anchor for “Today” from 1982 to 1989. Palmer also covered the aborted rescue attempt of American hostages in Iran and anchored the first hours of NBC’s coverage of the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster.

Palmer was a native of Kingsport, Tenn., and held degrees from Northwestern and Columbia universities. He and his wife have three daughters.