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Presidential Medal of Freedom PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON
Alphabetical List of Recipients
Presentation Speech Exerpts
Citations (in chronological order)
Speech Exerpt Sources
Citation Text Sources
Alphabetical List of Recipients
Aldrin, Edwin E., Jr.*
Apollo 13 Mission Op's Team
Armstrong, Neil A.*
Behrens, Earl Charles
Brosio, Manlio
Collins, Michael*
Ellington, Edward Kennedy
Folliard, Edward T.
Ford, John
Goldwyn, Samuel
Haise, Fred Wallace, Jr.
Henry, William M.
Hoffman, Paul G.
Hopkins, William J.
Krock, Arthur
Laird, Melvin R.
Lawrence, David
Lincoln, George Gould
Lovell, James Arthur, Jr.
Lowman, Charles LeRoy
Moley, Raymond
Ormandy, Eugene
Rogers, William P.
St. Johns, Adela Rogers
Swigert, John Leonard, Jr.
Vann, John Paul
Wallace, DeWitt
Wallace, Lila Acheson
* Indicates an award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction
PRESENTATION SPEECH EXCERPTS
President Nixon observed that the power to determine who receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom is "one of those few discretionary powers that the United States President has in terms of honors."1 In making his twentyeight awards of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he exercised that discretion by departing from the tradition that the award be given only in recognition of a lifetime of service or near the end of a long career marked by distinction; he presented some awards to American astronauts for their roles in singular, historic events. President Nixon also departed from the tradition that the award be bestowed only upon individuals when he made a group award to the Apollo 13 Mission Operations team.
President Nixon deviated from prior practices in awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom because one of the most extraordinary achievements in human history took place during his administrationthe lunar landing by American astronauts. In response to this momentous event, President Nixon awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to each of the astronauts involved in that mission. Just nine months later, another lunar mission, Apollo 13, encountered severe mechanical problems while in space. To honor the crew that guided the crippled spaceship back to earth, President Nixon presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to each of the three Apollo 13 astronauts.
President Nixon also sought to recognize the actions of the entire National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in rescuing Apollo 13. He initially planned to do this by awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator. However, Dr. Paine suggested that it would be more appropriate to award a Presidential Medal of Freedom to the mission's operations team. President Nixon took Dr. Paines's suggestion and presented a single Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Apollo 13 Mission Operations Team. This is the only time that the award has been conferred upon a group, rather than upon an individual. The awards to the astronauts and to the operations team are among the very few that have been made more for a specific achievement or event, than for lifetime or career accomplishment.
Even without considering the spectacular events surrounding the space-related awards, it is clear that President Nixon employed a certain "flair" in presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He presented awards to Lila and DeWitt Wallace, co-founders of Readers Digest, at a 50th birthday party for the magazine. He also presented awards to Eugene Ormandy and to "Duke" Ellington on their 70th birthdays. The pre-presentation ceremony dinner honoring "Duke" Ellington was held in the State Dining Room at the White House. Mr. Ellington's father had been a butler at the White House and had helped to serve state dinners in the very room in which his son was toasted by President Nixon prior to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
CITATIONS
(in chronological order)
EDWARD KENNEDY ELLINGTON
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 29, 1969
Edward Kennedy Ellington, pianist, composer, and orchestra leader, has long enhanced American music with his unique style, his intelligence, his impeccable taste. For more than 40 years he has helped to expand the frontiers of jazz, while at the same time retaining in his music the individuality and freedom of expression that are the soul of jazz. In the royalty of American music, no man swings more or stands higher than the Duke.
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NEIL A. ARMSTRONG
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
August 13, 1969
As a member of the crew of the United States Spacecraft Apollo Eleven, he participated directly in a unique and profoundly important adventure. The accumulated scientific knowledge and technological ability of mankind made man's first step on the moon practicable; the courage and skill of men like Neil Armstrong made it possible. His contribution to this great undertaking will be remembered so long as men wonder and dream and search for truth on this planet and among the stars.
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COL. MICHAEL COLLINS
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
August 13, 1969
As a member of the crew of the United States Spacecraft Apollo Eleven, he participated directly in a unique and profoundly important adventure. The accumulated scientific knowledge and technological ability of mankind made man's first step on the moon practicable; the courage and skill of men like Col. Michael Collins made it possible. His contribution to this great undertaking will be remembered so long as men wonder and dream and search for truth on this planet and among the stars.
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COL. EDWIN E. ALDRIN, JR.
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
August 13, 1969
As a member of the crew of the United States Spacecraft Apollo Eleven, he participated directly in a unique and profoundly important adventure. The accumulated scientific knowledge and technological ability of mankind made man's first step on the moon practicable; the courage and skill of men like Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. made it possible. His contribution to this great undertaking will be remembered so long as men wonder and dream and search for truth on this planet and among the stars.
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EUGENE ORMANDY
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
January 24, 1970
From early childhood he has possessed superb musical gifts. For thirty-four years he has brought these gifts to the conducting of the Philadelphia Orchestra, a name synonymous with excellence in music. Yet he brings to each performance something more precious than his great gifts; he brings himself. From the rich experiences of his life in music he has fashioned a unique and unforgettable orchestral sound, the sound of Ormandy. He has reminded audiences here in his adopted country and all over the world that the heart of music is a human heart and that the glory of music reflects and sustains the true glory of the human spirit.
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APOLLO 13 MISSION OPERATIONS TEAM
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 18, 1970
We often speak of scientific "miracles"forgetting that these are not miraculous happenings at all, but rather the product of hard work, long hours and disciplined intelligence.
The men and women of the Apollo 13 mission operations team performed such a miracle, transforming potential tragedy into one of the most dramatic rescues of all time. Years of intense preparation made this rescue possible. The skill, coordination and performance under pressure of the mission operations team made it happen. Three brave astronauts are alive and on Earth because of their dedication, and because at the critical moments the people of that team were wise enough and self-possessed enough to make the right decisions. Their extraordinary feat is a tribute to man's ingenuity, to his resourcefulness and to his courage.
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JAMES ARTHUR LOVELL, JR.
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 18, 1970
Adversity brings out the character of a man. Confronted suddenly and unexpectedly with grave peril in the far reaches of space, he demonstrated a calm courage and quiet heroism that stand as an example to men everywhere. His safe return is a triumph of the human spiritof those special qualities of man himself we rely on when machines fail, and that we rely on also for those things that machines cannot do.
From the start, the exploration of space has been hazardous adventure. The voyage of Apollo 13 dramatized its risks. The men of Apollo 13, by their poise and skill under the most intense kind of pressure, epitomized the character that accepts danger and surmounts it. Theirs is the spirit that built America. With gratitude and admiration, America salutes their spirit and their achievement.
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FRED WALLACE HAISE, JR.
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 18, 1970
Adversity brings out the character of a man. Confronted suddenly and unexpectedly with grave peril in the far reaches of space, he demonstrated a calm courage and quiet heroism that stand as an example to men everywhere. His safe return is a triumph of the human spiritof those special qualities of man himself we rely on when machines fail, and that we rely on also for those things that machines cannot do. From the start, the exploration of space has been hazardous adventure. The voyage of Apollo 13 dramatized its risks. The men of Apollo 13, by their poise and skill under the most intense kind of pressure, epitomized the character that accepts danger and surmounts it. Theirs is the spirit that built America. With gratitude and admiration, America salutes their spirit and their achievement.
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JOHN LEONARD SWIGERT, JR.
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 18, 1970
Adversity brings out the character of a man. Confronted suddenly and unexpectedly with grave peril in the far reaches of space, he demonstrated a calm courage and quiet heroism that stand as an example to men everywhere. His safe return is a triumph of the human spiritof those special qualities of man himself we rely on when machines fail, and that we rely on also for those things that machines cannot do.
From the start, the exploration of space has been hazardous adventure. The voyage of Apollo 13 dramatized its risks. The men of Apollo 13, by their poise and skill under the most intense kind of pressure, epitomized the character that accepts danger and surmounts it. Theirs is the spirit that built America. With gratitude and admiration, America salutes their spirit and their achievement.
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EARL CHARLES BEHRENS
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
Through almost fifty years as a reporter, he has shown that a great newspaperman is one who combines inexhaustible energy with insatiable curiosity and impeccable judgment. He has become a legend among political reporters not only for his great skill but also for fairness, unfailing good humor and consistent good sense. It has been written of him that his "mind and heart have been close to politics and political people." His sources and his readers have long recognized that his mind and his heart have also been devoted to truth, to integrity, and professionalism of the highest order.
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EDWARD T. FOLLIARD
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
Born in Washington, D.C., the nation's capital has been his working base throughout a long and distinguished professional career. His keen insights into the life and politics of the nation's capital have been matched by a perceptive understanding of the broader American scene, and of international affairs. Combining a determined curiosity with energy, integrity and skill, he has won the admiration of his colleagues and contributed greatly to the enlightenment of three generations of readers.
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WILLIAM M. HENRY
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
He proudly claimed but one title: Reporter. The many thousands who read his column, and listened to his broadcasts knew that he was one of the best of reporters, and more. A newspaperman since 1911, and a pioneer of broadcast journalism nearly half a century ago, he covered sports, politics, and all the rich variety of human activity that is the news. His column "By the Way" became an institution among Californians. He brought to his work a unique talent, a warm love of humanity, an unfailing fairness, and a devoted professional's respect for his craft.
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ARTHUR KROCK
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
From the police beat in Louisville to a position of the highest eminence among the world's journalists, he built a reputation that made his name synonymous with excellence and integrity. His incisive reporting, perceptive analysis, sound judgment and subtle humor have made a unique contribution to the understanding of the American process both at home and abroad. In the all-time roster of great Washington correspondentsand in the history of political reportinghis colleagues, his competitors, his readers, and those whose deeds he has chronicled, all would place him in the very first rank.
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DAVID LAWRENCE
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
Writer of the first Washington dispatch to be syndicated nationally by wire, he has served his profession, his nation and his audiences for more than 60 years as reporter, correspondent, news commentator, columnist, editor and author. Since the days of Woodrow Wilson's Presidency, he has been recognized as a distinguished interpreter of the American political scene. He has won and held the respect of millions for his perception, his judgment, his fairness, and his devotion to the principles on which America was founded.
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GEORGE GOULD LINCOLN
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
A journalist since 1902, he has been a perceptive professional witness to the events of the Twentieth Century almost from the day of its beginning. He has reported those events with great integrity, unfailing skill and uncompromising professionalism. His consistently excellent reporting of history-in-the-making from his native Washington, D.C. has been, through these years of sweeping change, one of the most admired achievements in all of American journalism.
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RAYMOND MOLEY
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
It has been said of him that he is "a master of scientific analysis applied to politics." His exceptional ability as a political analyst is matched by a deep love of his country, and of the principles of democratic government. His long career as a government official, scholar, lecturer, historian and political commentator has been as rich in distinction as it has in variety. A man of thought and a man of action, he has not only studied and analyzed the history of our times, but also helped to make it.
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ADELA ROGERS ST. JOHNS
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
April 22, 1970
Reporter, feature writer, author, she has enhanced every field she has entered. Beginning her career when women reporters were few, she has brought entertainment and information to millions with the energy, vigor and grace characteristic of both her style and her personality. Demonstrating an exceptional ability to reveal the human story behind the news, she has brought to her writing an excitement and warmth that for many years have earned her the high esteem of her profession and of her public.
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SAMUEL GOLDWYN
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
March 27, 1971
His career as a producer of distinguished motion pictures spans the entire history of the American film industry. Since 1913 he has exercised forceful, creative leadership in helping the medium of film to realize its great twofold potential in twentieth century life: Goldwyn movies have not only entertained and delighted millionsthey have also broadened the dimensions of dramatic art. Professionally, he has built a body of work whose excellence is unequalled; personally, he stands as a well-loved and widely respected giant on the Hollywood scene. The hallmarks of his life and work are fierce independence, deep respect for quality, strict ethics, and uncompromising integrity. For these, generations of film artists and a nation of moviegoers are in his debt.
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WILLIAM J. HOPKINS
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
June 2, 1971
During his forty years in the White House, under seven Presidents, William J. Hopkins has written a record of skilled and devoted service unique in the annals of the Presidency. Not only has he borne heavy responsibilities with great efficiency and uncommon good sense, but each new President in turn has learned to rely on him as a fount of wisdom, a reservoir of experience and a rock of loyalty.
Guiding each new administration through its initial steps, standing as a staunch friend to all, he has been, in the best sense, a selfless partisan of the Presidency, and of the Nation that these seven Presidents have been able to serve better because of the help that he gave.
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MANLIO BROSIO
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
September 29, 1971
A distinguished diplomat, he has nobly served freedom in the world as Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He has won the highest respect in his untiring work for both defense and dtente, and he has performed his task with exceptional skill, perseverance, and fairness. In his dedication to the cause of comity among nations, Manlio Brosio has demonstrated that those who work to keep the peace are as blessed as the peacemakers.
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DEWITT WALLACE
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
January 28, 1972
The co-founder with Lila Acheson Wallace of The Reader's Digest and partner in its direction for half a century, he has made a towering contribution to that freedom of the mind from which spring all our other liberties. This magazine has become a monthly university in print, teaching 100 million readers worldwide the wonder of common life and the scope of man's potential. In DeWitt Wallace, America has a son to be deeply proud ofone whose lifework shows American enterprise at its creative best, and the American ethic in its fullest flower.
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LILA ACHESON WALLACE
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
January 28, 1972
Co-founder with DeWitt Wallace of The Reader's Digest half a century ago and partner with him in its direction ever since, Lila Wallace has helped make all America better read. Her vision and drive have given wings to the workhorse printed word, fashioning a Pegasus of a magazine that carries American insights to 100 million readers worldwide. Her gracious touch at Pleasantville has shown the way to infusing industrial settings with culture and the joy of work.
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JOHN PAUL VANN
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
June 16, 1972
Soldier of peace and patriot of two nations, the name of John Paul Vann will be honored as long as free men remember the struggle to preserve the independence of South Vietnam. His military and civilian service in Vietnam spanned a decade, marked throughout by resourcefulness, professional excellence and unsurpassed courage; by supreme dedication and personal sacrifice. A truly noble American, a superb leader, he stands with Lafayette in that gallery of heroes who have made another brave people's cause their own.
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JOHN FORD
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
March 31, 1973
In the annals of American film, no name shines more brightly than that of John Ford. Director and film maker for more than half a century, he stands preeminent in the crowd, not only as a creator of individual films of surpassing excellence, but as a master among those who transformed the early motion pictures into a compelling new art form that developed in America and swept the world. As an interpreter of the nation's heritage, he left his personal stamp indelibly imprinted on the consciousness of whole generations, both here and abroad. In his life and in his work, John Ford represents the best in American films, and the very best in America.
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WILLIAM P. ROGERS
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
October 15, 1973
Prosecutor, Congressional investigator, and Cabinet leader under two Presidents, his brilliant career of public service has spanned more than a third of a century and touched all three branches of Government. As the 63rd Attorney General of the United States, he pioneered in the battle for equal rights. As the Nation's 55th Secretary of State, he played an indispensable role in ending our longest war and in starting to build a new structure of peace. Through these efforts, the decency and integrity that are William Rogers' personal stamp are now felt more strongly among all people and nations. No man could seek a greater monument.
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MELVIN R. LAIRD
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
March 26, 1974
Few men have served America better than Melvin R. Laird. As a promising young State Senator, as an outstanding member of the United States Congress for sixteen years, as Secretary of Defense and as Presidential Counsellor for Domestic Affairs, he has superbly demonstrated a love of country, a strong capability for leadership and a brilliant understanding of people and ideas. Lawmaker, administrator, theorist and master of the American political process, Melvin Laird has helped to preserve a strong, free United States and has left an indelible mark on the history of our times.
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PAUL G. HOFFMAN
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
June 21, 1974
Industrialist, philanthropist, and towering international statesman, Paul Hoffman has always exemplified what is best about America. His generous humanitarian spirit and his genius for administrative challenges have made a profound impact for good within our own country and throughout our planet.
Paul Hoffman played a central role in moving the world out of the devastation of World War II and through a difficult period of decolonization and emergent nationhood. He was a bold pioneer in the field of international development assistance. The force of his deeds and the power of his example have made a unique and monumental contribution to world peace and progress.
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CHARLES LEROY LOWMAN, M.D.
Awarded by
President Richard M. Nixon
July 27, 1974
A pioneer in medicine, a physician of surpassing skill, and a great humanitarian, Dr. Charles LeRoy Lowman has devoted his life to the service of his fellow man. His good works have enriched the lives of thousands of patients, but none more so than the generations of handicapped children who have been treated at the hospital that he founded in Los Angeles early in this century. The world will long be indebted to this distinguished and noble American.
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SPEECH EXERPT SOURCES
1 Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to DeWitt and Lila Acheson Wallace, 1972 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 119 (January 28, 1972). Back to Text
CITATION TEXT SOURCES
April 29, 1969 Ellington, Edward Kennedy
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Duke Ellington, 1969 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 33839 (April 29, 1969).
August 13, 1969 Armstrong, Neil A.; Collins, Michael; Aldrin, Edwin E., Jr.
Remarks at a Dinner Honoring the Apollo 11 Astronauts, 1969 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 66974 (August 13, 1969).
January 24, 1970 Ormandy, Eugene
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Eugene Ormandy, 1970 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 1617 (January 24, 1970).
April 18, 1970 (a.m., Houston, Texas) Apollo 13 Mission Operations Team
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Apollo 13 Mission Operations Team in Houston, 1970 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 36669 (April 18, 1970).
April 18, 1970 (p.m., Honolulu, Hawaii) Lovell, James Arthur, Jr.; Haise, Fred Wallace, Jr.; Swigert, John Leonard, Jr.
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Apollo 13 Astronauts in Honolulu, 1970 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 36970 (April 18, 1970).
April 22, 1970 Behrens, Earl Charles; Folliard, Edward T.; Henry, William M.; Krock, Arthur; Lawrence, David; Lincoln, George Gould; Moley, Raymond; St. Johns, Adela Rogers
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Eight Journalists, 1970 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 38594 (April 22, 1970).
March 27, 1971 Goldwyn, Samuel
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Samuel Goldwyn, 1971 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 490 (March 27, 1971).
June 2, 1971 Hopkins, William J.
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to William J. Hopkins, 1971 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 69899 (June 2, 1971).
September 29, 1971 Brosio, Manlio
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Manlio Brosio, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 1971 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 101112 (September 29, 1971).
January 28, 1972 Wallace, DeWitt; Wallace, Lila Acheson
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to DeWitt and Lila Acheson Wallace, 1972 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 11820 (January 28, 1972).
June 16, 1972 Vann, John Paul
White House Statement on the Death of John Paul Vann, 1972 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 66768 & note, p. 668 (June 9, 1972).
March 31, 1973 Ford, John
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to John Ford, 1973 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 24547 (March 31, 1973).
October 15, 1973 Rogers, William P.
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to William P. Rogers and the Presidential Citizens Medal to Adele Rogers, 1973 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 87779 (October 15, 1973).
March 26, 1974 Laird, Melvin R.
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Melvin R. Laird, 1974 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 31415 (March 26, 1974).
June 21, 1974 Hoffman, Paul G.
Presidential Medal of Freedom for Paul G. Hoffman, 10 Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, 655 (June 21, 1974).
July 27, 1974 Lowman, Charles LeRoy
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charles LeRoy Lowman, 1974 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Richard Nixon, 61516 (July 27, 1974).
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