President Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford was born on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska. His real name was Leslie Lynch King Jr.   His parents separated when he was two weeks old and he moved with his mother to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Two years later his mother married again with Gerald Ford Sr. He changed his name to Gerald Ford Jr. At the age of thirteen he found out that his father was not blood related to him. Ford attended South High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gerald Ford was very smart and athletically strong already showing leadership by becoming an Eagle Scout in November 1927.

In 1931, Ford went to University of Michigan at Ann, Arbor. He majored in economics and political science. Ford played on the University’s National Championship team in 1932 and 1933. He was voted most valuable player in 1934 and 1935. He graduated with a B.A. degree in 1935.

After College, he received offers to play for the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions, but he turned both offers down and took the position of assistant coach at Yale. Ford was hoping to attend law school there. At Yale, Ford was denied law school but was accepted later in spring of 1938. While teaching a law class at Grand Rapids University he became line coach for the football team.

            In April of 1942 Ford joined the U.S. Naval Reserve; he began service on a light aircraft carrier. He was assigned as athletic director of the gunnery division. Ford spent the remainder of World War II in the Navy and was released as a Lieutenant Commander in February 1946.

Ford served in the Congress from January 3, 1949 to December 6, 1973 being reelected twelve times each time with over 60% of the votes. For his leadership skills, he was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee in 1951.  Ford declined to run for Senate or for Governor of Michigan. Ford defeated Charles Hoeven of Iowa for Chairman of the House Republican Conference.

1974 Gerald Ford became the 38^th president of the United States. Gerald Ford was the only U.S. president who served in the office without being elected. On October 10, 1973 Richard Nixon’s Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned in the face of corruption charges. President Nixon was caught up in his own scandal called the Watergate. Nixon had to appoint a successor as provided by the U.S. Constitution. When President Nixon resigned, Gerald Ford took his place.

Gerald Ford ended the long nightmare from the Watergate scandal.  He created many opportunities for people. Ford had a task to rebuild the cabinet and the White House staff. For example, he nominated Nelson Rockefeller for Vice President. During his first ten days in office he sent personal messages to many world leaders. Through his actions, the government began to recuperate. Finally after visiting Nixon in the hospital and seeing that he was in poor health, Ford made a risky move and pardoned Richard Nixon for all federal crimes when he was President.

The inflation rate was too high in America.  The only way it could be lower is if everyone pulled together. In 1975 the economy showed progress that they were lowering taxes and inflation slowed, with unemployment dropping slightly from earlier record high. Ford was encouraged with the progress.

President Ford was allies with the Russian and there leader Leonid Brezhnev. He was also with Japanese emperor Hirohito. A woman named Lynette Fromme attempted to assassinate President Ford. Another lady broke out of jail named Sara Jane Moore who fired at Ford but missed and sent to prison.

Ford ran for presidency again in 1976 with running mate Robert Dole. He surprised many people because earlier when he was Vice President, he mentioned he wouldn’t run again. The campaign for the Republicans would not be easy. Ford did not have a strong campaign organization. The 1976 election was close. Ford promised to continue the policies that had brought about improved international relations. However, Jimmy Carter won the election by a narrow margin. The defeat for him was hard to accept, since he had never lost an election. He thought he did the best he could for the Americans.

Ford will always be part of America he accomplished many things including the inflation rate. Many people have great memories of him. “Ford asked me to become director of the CIA, and my friends all advised me that the CIA was a political dead end,” mentioned George Herbert Walker Bush. Bill Clinton remembers President Ford when he pardoned Nixon because Clinton was running for congress that year.  25 years later President Ford got the Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Clinton thanked him for his lifelong resistance to racial discrimination. Nancy Reagan was the former First Lady. She remembered the 1976 election when Ford almost became president for a second term. “Jerry Ford was the type of man who will think of a speech at the last minute and can make it sound good.” Henry Kissinger was the former Secretary of State. When Nixon told Ford that he was resigning his first call was to Kissinger.

One of his last interviews was about the disagreement with Bush about invading Iraq. Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld served Ford in 1975 and supported the war in Iraq. He thought it should have been through negotiation with Iraq.

President Ford had done extra to the United States because after the Watergate scandal, he had to end the war in Vietnam to get the trust from the Americans back. Ford accomplished all of tasks and more. His experiences as a football player, Eagle Scout, and the Navy helped him out during Presidency. He was a true leader who wanted to help his country. He always believed in peace around the world. He accomplished many things gracefully.

President Ford died on December 26, 2006 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 93 when he passed away. He will never be forgotten in America. In, Grand Rapids people have contributed a museum for him, called Gerald R. Ford Museum.

-Keon H