PRESIDENT GERALD R. FORD - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH 04/11/1975 CO-SIGNED BY: COLONEL GERALD P. "JERRY" CARR - HFSID 78894

GERALD R. FORD and GERALD P. CARR
Color publicity photograph of Gerald Ford and Gerald P. Carr shaking hands at The White House.
Photograph signed: "Gerald Ford" and "My best regards,/Jerry Carr/Skylab III". Color, 10x8 overall, image 9½x6½ (one surface). On August 9, 1974, GERALD R. FORD (1913-2006) was sworn in as the nation's 38th President following the resignation of Richard Nixon. Ford had previously served as Nixon's Vice President (December 6, 1973-August 9, 1974) following the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, becoming the only man to have held both of the nation's highest offices without being elected to either. Ford, who was previously a U.S. Congressman from Michigan (1949-1973; Minority Leader, 1965-1973), lost his bid for election to a full four-year term partially as a result of his controversial pardon of his predecessor. Ford celebrated his 93rd birthday on July 14, 2006. Before his death on December 26, 2006, Ford had surpassed Ronald Reagan (who also lived to age 93) as the longest-lived former U.S. President. GERALD P. "JERRY" CARR (1932-2020) was commander of the third and final manned visit to the Skylab Orbital Workshop. This was the longest manned flight (84 days, 1 hour, 15 minutes) in the history of manned space exploration to date. From November 16, 1973-February 8, 1974, the three-member crew, which also included Dr. Edward G. Gibson (science pilot) and William R. Pogue (pilot), successfully completed 56 experiments, 26 science demonstrations, 15 subsystem-detailed objectives and 13 student investigations during their 1,214 revolutions of the Earth. Carr, who was one of 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966, had previously served in the U.S. Navy before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. Between the time of his selection and his journey into space, Carr was a member of several astronaut support crews and was involved in the development and testing of the lunar roving vehicle used during the Apollo Moon landings. Carr, who retired from the Marine Corps in 1975 and from NASA in 1977, then became involved in several aerospace-related businesses. He is married to artist/sculptor Pat Musick. Slightly creased at corners. Fine condition.