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Birthday
born in Omaha, Nebraska
parents are Leslie Lynch King, Gerald Rudolff Ford, and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King Ford -
His mom got married to his "stepdad"
his mom got a divorce with his real dad and when his mom and stepdad got married his stepdad adopted him and he barely knew his real dad -
Graduated from highschool
he went to south high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan
he played football in high school he went to Madison elementary school -
Attended University of Michigan
he went to Ann Arbor first and went to be a lawyer and he stayed there a year -
Attended Yale Law school
went to be a lawyer
played football there
was there til 1941 -
Entered world war II
lieutenant commander in the U.S. navy
was in it til 1945 -
His biological dad died
he died in Tucson, Arizona and he was 56 years old and he hadn't really known Gerald much -
Married
he married Elizabeth Bloomer Warren Ford (betty)
got married in Grand Rapids, Michigan -
Elected for the house of representatives
served in the house for 25 years
he was considered a friendly, honest, loyal, and hardworking republican -
1st child
Michael Gerald Ford
1st child with his wife Elizabeth -
2nd child
John Gardner Ford (Jack)
2nd child with his wife Elizabeth -
3rd child
Steven Meigs Ford
3rd child with his wife Elizabeth -
4th child
Susan Elizabeth Ford
4th child with his wife Elizabeth -
Minority leader
was a minority leader til 1973 -
Mom died
Grand Rapids, Michigan
75 years old -
Became vice president
upon the resignation of vice president Spiro Agnew Ford became the first to be nominated to the ice presidency by the president under the 25th amendment -
Started his time in office
Former president Nixon resigned and he was the vice president so he became president -
Pardoned former president Nixon
Ford's popularity after decreased and it cleared Nixon of all charges -
First American president to go to Japan
he went there to build a better relationship and after they celebrated their alliance together -
His vice president came in office
December 19, 1974 Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was confirmed by congress over the opposition of many conservatives and the country had a full complement of leaders again -
tragedy during his presidency
Ford ordered U.S. forces to retake the S.S. MAYAGUEZ an American merchant ship seized by Cambodian gunboats two days earlier in international waters the vessel was recovered and all 39 crewmen saved in the preparation and execution of the rescue 41 Americans lost their lives -
Target of 1st assassination attempt
the first attempt was by a girl named Lynette Fromme in Sacramento, California she was put in jail at the Sacramento County jail and had $1 million bail -
Target of 2nd assassination attempt
the second attempt was by a girl named Sara Jane Moore she was within 40 feet of Gerald and shot but missed and then she was arrested and put in jail -
Ran for president again
Ford fought off a strong challenge by Ronald Reagan to gain the republican nomination he chose senator Robert Dole of Kansas as his running mate and succeeded in narrowing democrat Jimmy Carter's large lead in the polls but finally lost one of the closest elections in history three televised candidate debates were focal points of the campaign -
Ended time in office
he term was over in office as president he ran for president again but didn't get elected -
Died
died in Ranch Mirage, California
the family doesn't tell why he died but he had been in and out of the hospital for the last few months before passing
he was buried at Ford Presidential Library in Grand Rapids, Michigan
