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Gerald R. Ford

Born on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, moving to Grand Rapids at the age of two. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1935 and from [ct:yaleuniv] Law School in 1941. In 1942 he left his budding law practice in Grand Rapids to join the Navy. He served in the Pacific, leaving the service in 1946 as a lieutenant commander. In 1949, Ford was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served for 25 years, 8 of them as Republican leader.

On October 12, 1973, after the resignation of Vice-President Spiro Agnew, Ford was nominated by President Richard M. Nixon to be his replacement. When Nixon himself resigned, Ford became president on August 9, 1974. He was the only man ever to become President without being elected either President or Vice-President.

On September 8, Ford pardoned Nixon for any federal crimes he might have committed as President. During his first 21 months in office, he vetoed 48 bills. He was narrowly defeated in 1976 by Jimmy Carter.