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'''Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr.''' (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr.) was the 38th [[President of the United States of America]], serving from 1974 to January 1977.  He was the first person to be appointed President without being elected to either the presidency or vice-presidency.  A [[Republican]], Ford also served as U.S. Representative, 1948-73, and was the House Minority Leader in 1965.  His most famous and daring decision was to pardon former President [[Richard Nixon]] of any crimes for the good of the nation.  Nixon appointed Ford as Vice President on the resignation of [[Spiro Agnew]].  When Nixon subsequently resigned as President, Ford succeeded him.  

'''Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr.''' (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr.) was the 38th [[President of the United States of America]], serving from August 1974 to January 1977.  He was the first person to be appointed President without being elected to either the presidency or vice-presidency.  A [[Republican]], Ford also served as U.S. [[Representative]], 1948-73, and was the [[House Minority Leader]] in 1965.  His most famous and daring decision was to pardon former President [[Richard Nixon]] of any crimes for the good of the nation.  Nixon appointed Ford as Vice President on the resignation of [[Spiro Agnew]].  When Nixon subsequently resigned as President, Ford succeeded him.  

Ford was married to Elizabeth Bloomer Warren and they had four children.

Ford was married to Elizabeth Bloomer Warren and they had four children.

==Early Life==

==Early Life==

Ford was born in Omaha, [[Nebraska]], but did not live there long, as his mother left her husband and fled with the child within a month due to domestic abuse.  He was not legally adopted by his mother's second husband, but they called him "Gerald Rudolff Ford Jr."  He legally changed his name to the one he is known by when he was 22 years old.  He was raised in [[Michigan]], and became an Eagle Scout. He attended the University of Michigan where he was a football star for the Wolverines. He later declined contracts to play professional football for the NFL, instead choosing to go to [[Yale]] Law School. <ref>http://www.historyguy.com/biofiles/ford_gerald.html</ref> After graduation he co-founded a law practice, however, after the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]] he decided to enlist in the [[Navy]]. In the spring of 1943 he began service in the light aircraft carrier USS MONTEREY. He was first assigned as athletic director, then gunnery division officer, an assistant navigator with major operations in the South Pacific, and then a lieutenant commander. He encountered a near death experience in December 1944 during a vicious typhoon in the [[Philippine]] Sea. He came close to being swept overboard from his ship. <ref>http://www.ford.utexas.edu/grf/fordbiop.asp</ref> After the war was over in 1946 he returned to his law firm in Grand Rapids.

Ford was born in Omaha, [[Nebraska]], but did not live there long, as his mother left her husband and fled with the child within a month due to domestic abuse.  He was not legally adopted by his mother's second husband, but they called him "Gerald Rudolff Ford Jr."  He legally changed his name to the one he is known by when he was 22 years old.  He was raised in [[Michigan]], and became an Eagle Scout. He attended the University of Michigan where he was a football star for the Wolverines. He later declined contracts to play professional football for the NFL, instead choosing to go to [[Yale]] Law School. <ref>http://www.historyguy.com/biofiles/ford_gerald.html</ref> After graduation he co-founded a [[law]] practice, however, after the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]] he decided to enlist in the [[Navy]]. In the spring of 1943 he began service in the light aircraft carrier USS MONTEREY. He was first assigned as athletic director, then gunnery division officer, an assistant navigator with major operations in the South Pacific, and then a lieutenant commander. He encountered a near death experience in December 1944 during a vicious typhoon in the [[Philippine]] Sea. He came close to being swept overboard from his ship. <ref>http://www.ford.utexas.edu/grf/fordbiop.asp</ref> After the war was over in 1946 he returned to his law firm in Grand Rapids.

==Congressional Career==

==Congressional Career==

Like many returning veterans, Ford became involved in politics. In 1948 he was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]] from Michigan's fifth congressional district after defeating an incumbent Republican in a primary campaign. He was a prominent member of the House Appropriations Committee. In [[Congress]], he supported President [[Harry S. Truman]]'s programs for post-Word War 2 recovery in [[Europe]] and supported the need to block communist expansionism from the [[Soviet Union]]. Ford quickly gained stature in Congress. In 1961, he became chairman of the House Republican Conference, making him the third most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives. In November 1963, President [[Lyndon Johnson]] appointed Ford as a member of the Warren Commission, to investigate the events of President [[John F. Kennedy]]'s assassination. The Commission's findings were that [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] was the lone assassin.  

Like many returning veterans, Ford became involved in politics. In 1948 he was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]] from Michigan's fifth congressional district after defeating an incumbent Republican in a primary campaign. He was a prominent member of the House Appropriations Committee. In [[Congress]], he supported President [[Harry S. Truman]]'s programs for post-[[Word War II]] recovery in [[Europe]] and supported the need to block communist expansionism from the [[Soviet Union]]. Ford quickly gained stature in Congress. In 1961, he became chairman of the House Republican Conference, making him the third most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives. In November 1963, President [[Lyndon Johnson]] appointed Ford as a member of the Warren Commission, to investigate the events of President [[John F. Kennedy]]'s assassination. The Commission's findings were that [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] was the lone assassin.  

On January 4, 1965, Ford was elected House Minority Leader by a vote of 73-67. Although his ambition was always to became [[Speaker of the House]]. Ideologically Ford was flexible. He once described himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, an internationalist in foreign affairs, and a [[conservative]] in fiscal policy."   

On January 4, 1965, Ford was elected House Minority Leader by a vote of 73-67. Although his ambition was always to became [[Speaker of the House]]. Ideologically Ford was flexible. He once described himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, an internationalist in foreign affairs, and a [[conservative]] in fiscal policy."