New York ( CNN ) -- Legendary and curmudgeonly TV commentator Andy Rooney offered his final remarks Sunday on the news show `` 60 Minutes , '' capping a career that has spanned more than six decades . In his final essay , delivered around 8:15 p.m. , Rooney said , `` This is a moment I have dreaded . `` I wish I could do this forever . But I ca n't , '' he said . `` But I 'm not retiring . Writers do n't retire , and I 'll always be a writer . '' CBS announced Tuesday that the upcoming program , five days later , would be the last one for the 92-year-old award-winning writer , essayist and commentator . He has been with the network -- first as a writer for `` Arthur Godfrey 's Talent Scouts '' -- since 1949 , and been part of the `` 60 Minutes '' crew since 1978 . `` There 's nobody like Andy , and there never will be . He 'll hate hearing this , but he 's an American original , '' CBS News Chairman Jeff Fager said in a release announcing Rooney 's exit . The original essay offered Sunday was Rooney 's 1,097th for the program . In it , he described himself simply , not as a `` television personality , '' but rather as `` a writer who reads what he 's written . '' `` A writer 's job is to tell the truth , '' he said . `` I know I 've been terribly wrong sometimes , but I think I 've been right more than I 've been wrong . '' Earlier in the show , Morley Safer -- himself a 79-year-old journalist and a `` 60 Minutes '' staple since 1970 -- interviewed Rooney about his personal and professional life . Rooney attended Colgate University until he was drafted into the Army in 1941 . In February 1943 , he was one of six correspondents who flew with the 8th Air Force on the first American bombing raid over Germany . Last year , Rooney received the Overseas Press Club of America President 's Award for these reports . The television commentator admitted Sunday that he does n't sign autographs and rarely responds to fan mail , telling Safer he did n't `` want to answer an idiot who would have the bad sense to write me a letter . '' Rooney has also engendered controversy , such as his weekslong suspension in 1990 from `` 60 Minutes '' for remarks that offended some gay viewers . But he 's better known for his sharp commentaries and public persona as someone fed up with everything from desk clutter to chocolate chip cookies to door knobs . In his time at `` 60 Minutes , '' Rooney also has contributed many deeper pieces in the wake of events like the 1986 space shuttle Challenger explosion , the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the `` shock and awe '' campaign to start the 2003 Iraq war -- a phrase he scathingly said `` makes us look like foolish braggarts . '' Safer described his longtime colleague as `` America 's favorite grouch-in-chief , '' saying Rooney used his `` loud whiny voice ... speaking up for citizens fed up with everything . '' `` There have been many curmudgeons on television over its long history , '' Safer said affectionately . `` None has been so long serving in that role as Mr . Rooney . ''
NEW : Rooney says Rooney spoke up `` for citizens fed up with everything '' In his final essay , Morley Safer says , `` I wish I could do this forever , but I ca n't '' Andy Rooney has been with the Overseas Press Club of America since 1978 and with `` 60 Minutes '' since 1978 . He delivered one original essays during his time on the TV news prorgram .