Ford began his political career in 1949 as the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving from 1942 to 1946 he left as a lieutenant commander. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Following his senior year, he turned down offers from the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, instead opting to go to Yale Law School. When President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, Ford succeeded to the presidency, but was defeated for election to a full term in 1976.īorn in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ford attended the University of Michigan, where he was a member of the school's football team, winning two National Championships. He previously served as the leader of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives, and as the 40th vice president of the United States from 1973 to 1974. July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. ( / ˈ dʒ ɛr əl d/ JERR-əld born Leslie Lynch King Jr.
