| |
| |
Presidential Medal of Freedom - President Gerald Ford
The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the United States.
It was established by President Harry Truman in 1945 to honor service during WWII. President John F. Kennedy revived the medal and began the tradition of awarding the medal annually, on or near July 4. The award is awarded to several people annually. Unlike many other US awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom can be awarded to non-US citizens.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom recognizes individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, or to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." Medals of Freedom Awarded By President Gerald R. Ford
Alphabetical List of Recipients
Presentation Speech Excerpts
Speech Excerpt Sources
Citation Text Sources
Alphabetical List of Recipients
Abel, I.W.
Bardeen, John
Berlin, Irving
Borlaug, Norman
Bradley, Omar N.
Bruce, David K.E.*
Burke, Arleigh
Calder, Alexander
Catton, Bruce
DiMaggio, Joe
Durant, Ariel
Durant, Will
Fiedler, Arthur
Friendly, Henry J.
Graham, Martha*
Johnson, Lady Bird
Kissinger, Henry A.
MacLeish, Archibald
Michener, James Albert
O'Keeffe, Georgia
Owens, Jesse
Rockefeller, Nelson A.
Rockwell, Norman
Rubinstein, Arthur*
Rumsfeld, Donald H.
Shouse, Catherine Filene
Thomas, Lowell
Watson, James D.
* Indicates an award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction
PRESENTATION SPEECH EXCERPTS
During his brief Presidency, Gerald R. Ford awarded twentyeight Presidential Medals of Freedom . He felt "very deeply privileged . . . to act on behalf of all Americans in presenting the medal,"1 and he felt that the privilege was "one of a President's most enjoyable duties."2
In remarks made during a presentation ceremony, President Ford noted that:
The [Presidential] Medals of Freedom you are about to receive are the highest civilian honor that our country can bestow. Of course, excellence has its own reward, not only to those who strive for it but also to the free society which encourages it. You are men and women who have used that freedom to achieve extraordinary excellence. Your outstanding accomplishments have made our lives better and set stirring examples for others to follow.
As we move from the Bicentennial Year into our third century, America must remain a place where men and women are encouraged to create, to innovate, to explore, and to set the very highest standards, whatever their vocation.
Our country and all mankind will always need people like you whose energy, whose imagination reveal our country's greatest potential.3
SPEECH EXCERPT SOURCES
1 Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Arthur Rubinstein, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 881 (April 1, 1976). Back to Text
2 Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 2908 (January 10, 1977). Back to Text
3 Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 2908 (January 10, 1977). Back to Text
CITATION TEXT SOURCES
February 10, 1976 Bruce, David K.E.
Medal of Freedom Citation Text: David K.E. Bruce (February 10, 1976), Folder 1/765/76, Box 25, David R. Gergen Files, Gerald R. Ford Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
April 1, 1976 Rubinstein, Arthur
Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Arthur Rubinstein, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 88182 (April 1, 1976).
August 5, 1976 Owens, Jesse
Remarks to Members of the U.S. Olympic Team and Presentation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jesse Owens, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 213134 (August 5, 1976).
October 14, 1976 Graham, Martha
Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Martha Graham, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 253436 (October 14, 1976).
January 10, 1977 Abel, I.W.; Bardeen, John; Borlaug, Norman; Bradley, Omar N.; Burke, Arleigh; Catton, Bruce; DiMaggio, Joe; Durant, Ariel; Durant, Will; Fiedler, Arthur; Friendly, Henry J.; Johnson, Lady Bird; MacLeish, Archibald; Michener, James Albert; Rockefeller, Nelson A.; Rockwell, Norman; Watson, James D.
Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 290812 (January 10, 1977).
Berlin, Irving; Calder, Alexander; O'Keeffe, Georgia; Shouse, Catherine Filene; Thomas, Lowell
Medal of Freedom Citation Text: Irving Berlin, Alexander Calder, Georgia O'Keeffe, Catherine Filene Shouse, Lowell Thomas, Folder Medal of Freedom--Citations for Recipients, 1/77, Box 20, John Marsh Files, 197477, Gerald R. Ford Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
January 13, 1977 Kissinger, Henry A.
Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Henry A. Kissinger, 197677 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, 293031 (January 13, 1977).
January 19, 1977 Rumsfeld, Donald H.
Presidential Medal of Freedom Citation to Donald H. Rumsfeld (January 19, 1977), accompanying, Donald Rumsfeld, letter to the author, January 4, 1993.
|
|
|
|
|
Medal History
