Presidential Documents

421 

Federal Register 

Vol. 72, No. 2 

Thursday, January 4, 2007 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 8093 of December 27, 2006 

Announcing the Death of Gerald R. Ford 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES: 

It is my sad duty to announce officially the death of Gerald R. Ford, the 

thirty-eighth President of the United States, on December 26, 2006. 

President Ford was a great man who devoted the best years of his life 

to serving the United States of America. He was also a true gentleman 

who reflected the best in America’s character. Before the world knew his 

name, he served with distinction in the United States Navy and the United 

States House of Representatives. As a congressman from Michigan, and 

then as Vice President, he commanded the respect and earned the goodwill 

of all who had the privilege of knowing him. On August 9, 1974, he stepped 

into the presidency without having ever sought the office. 

During his time in office, the American people came to know President 

Ford as a man of complete integrity, who led our country with common 

sense and kind instincts. Americans will always admire Gerald Ford’s unflinching performance of duty, the honorable conduct of his Administration, 

and the great rectitude of the man himself. We mourn the loss of such 

a leader, and our thirty-eighth President will always have a special place 

in our Nation’s memory. 

President Ford lived 93 years, and his life was a blessing to America. 

Now this fine man will be taken to his rest by a family that will love 

him always and by a Nation that will be grateful to him forever. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States 

of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws 

of the United States, in honor and tribute to the memory of Gerald R. 

Ford, and as an expression of public sorrow, do hereby direct that the 

flag of the United States be displayed at half-staff at the White House 

and on all buildings, grounds, and Naval vessels of the United States for 

a period of 30 days from the day of his death. I also direct that for the 

same length of time, the representatives of the United States in foreign 

countries shall make similar arrangements for the display of the flag at 

half-staff over their Embassies, Legations, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and stations. 

I hereby order that suitable honors be rendered by units of the Armed 

Forces under orders of the Secretary of Defense. 

In a further expression of our national grief, I will appoint in a subsequent 

proclamation a National Day of Mourning throughout the United States 

when the American people may assemble in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President Ford. 

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422 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 2 / Thursday, January 4, 2007 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh 

day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the 

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtyfirst. 

[FR Doc. 06–9991 

Filed 1–3–07; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3195–01–P 


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