Tag Archives: Gerald R. Ford President Museum

Operation Babylift: 50th anniversary of history’s largest aerial evacuation to be commemorated at Ford Museum on May 9

The Vietnamese American community of West Michigan will honor President Ford’s legacy of giving new hope to thousands of refugees with a special program free to the public (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


The Vietnamese American community of West Michigan will mark the 50th anniversary of Operation Babylift and President Ford’s legacy of giving new hope to thousands of refugees with a special program, 50 Years After Saigon: Vietnamese Stories of a New Home.

Hosted by The Gerald R. Ford Museum from 6:30-9 p.m. on May 9, the event will highlight Ford’s leadership during the Vietnamese refugee airlift, the largest aerial evacuation in history. The evacuation encompassed a series of overlapping operations which relocated thousands of Vietnamese children and families: Babylift, New Life, Frequent Wind and New Arrivals.

Operation Babylift (President Ford, right) rescued over 3,000 babies and orphans from Vietnam (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)

“This event marks 50 years since the Fall of Saigon, which led to the Refugee Act and the resettlement of Vietnamese families in West Michigan,” said Le Tran, art teacher and Asian Student Union Advisor at East Kentwood High School, and chair of the West Michigan Asian-American Association.

“It’s time to reflect on our journey, honor President Ford’s compassionate leadership, and celebrate the resilience and contributions of our community.”

During the program, President Ford’s youngest son, Steve Ford, will offer an inside look into the motivation behind his father’s call to action to save the Vietnamese orphans.

Additional program features are Vietnamese musical performances, reflections from an Operation Babylift adoptee, and a panel discussion offering insight into experiences of Vietnamese Americans and the impact of Ford’s refugee support.

A compassionate call to action

Steve Ford (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)

In a recent conversation with WKTV Managing Editor Deborah Reed, Steve Ford revealed that Operation Babylift was near and dear to his father’s heart.

“Dad found out that there were over 3,000 babies and orphans in Vietnam that had been fathered by American servicemen,” said Ford. “A lot of these babies had been put in orphanages or given up, and he felt a deep concern about that.”

Not only were thousands of babies abandoned, they were in danger of being killed by the Ho Chi Minh army as they took over Saigon.

President Ford’s empathy, his son said, stemmed from his own turbulent past as an infant.

Born to Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner, and originally named Leslie Lynch King Jr., President Ford was only weeks old when his physically abusive father threatened Gardner with a butcher knife. Gardner fled, eventually settling at the home of her parents in Grand Rapids.

Gardner divorced King and eventually married Grand Rapids businessman Gerald R. Ford.

The Ford family (Steve Ford, right) pictured in front of the White House (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)

“Gerald R. Ford Sr. is the one that took Dad under his wing, raised him, invested in his life – and gave him his name,” said Ford. “Dad’s history…very much played into his empathy for these young babies that had been fathered by U.S. servicemen and were being abandoned. So he made a great effort for these babies.”

In the National Geographic article titled “Resettling Vietnamese Refugees in the United States,” President Ford stated, “[T]o ignore the refugees in their hour of need would be to repudiate the values we cherish as a nation of immigrants, and I was not about to let Congress do that.”

A 50-year ripple effect

On April 3, 1975, President Ford launched Operation Babylift. Through private contractors and U.S. military planes, thousands of orphaned children were airlifted out of Saigon and brought to the United States for adoption.

A doctor attends to a Vietnamese baby during Operation Babylift (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)

In A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford (p. 252), President Ford stated:

“I ordered American officials in Saigon to cut through any red tape that might stand in the way of the children’s escape. Then I told our Air Force to begin those mercy flights as soon as possible. Everyone suffers in a war, but no one suffers more than the children, and the airlift was the least that we could do.

President Ford feeds a Vietnamese refugee baby (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)

President Ford and his wife Betty greeted the first plane at the San Francisco International Airport and helped carry babies off the plane.

Numerous foster and adoptive families were waiting to open their doors to the Vietnamese orphans, with several churches and organizations helping facilitate the adoption process.

Fifty years later, those babies are now lawyers, doctors, homemakers, teachers and nurses. Ford said he is often approached by those orphans at speaking engagements, where they thank his father for saving them.

“It’s amazing how something 50 years ago is still rippling today and causing such good.”

One of those orphans, Thuy Williams, has become a good friend of Ford and his wife.

Separated from her mother and slated to be on the first airlift flight that ended in tragedy, Williams will share her journey of heartache and healing during the commemoration event.

President Ford carries a Vietnamese baby from “Clipper 1742,” a plane that transported approximately 325 South Vietnamese orphans from Saigon to the United States (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)

Recognizing the good and the bad

The local Vietnamese American panel discussion will give perspective regarding the Vietnam War and its aftermath.

“There’s good and bad,” said Ford. “It’s the reason we do these stories at the Museum. There were definitely both sides, and we always feel it’s important to show both sides because that’s what history looks like. It’s never one way.”

A country of immigrants

“If Dad were here today, he would want people to remember that we are a country of immigrants,” said Ford. “We’ve gone through periods all through our history of welcoming people here. We’ve always stepped forward when these crises have happened and been willing to welcome people in the country.”

Ford went on to say that his father tried to heal the nation in many ways.

President Ford visited refugee camps in May 1975 (Courtesy, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation)

“There were scars on this country, there were wounds that needed help,” said Ford. “Dad would tell you war is ugly, it’s tragic. But if you try to do your best, you can look deeper and find some of these stories where you have good coming out the other side.

“I think the story of these babies – Operation Babylift – is one that makes America look like a country with great empathy and humanity.”

Event and resource links

Ford Museum event registration and information can be found here.

More information about the Vietnamese refugee airlift evacuation and the Vietnamese American community can be found below:

Gerald R. Ford Museum unveils new website to enhance user experience

The Gerald R. Ford Museum new website design aims to enhance user experience (Courtesy, Ford Museum)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org


The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum has launched their newly redesigned website.

The new design aims to provide an improved experience for all visitors, whether they are casual browsers, planning field trips and tours, exploring the digital collections or conducting research on the Ford administration.

The new website, www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov, has been designed with user and researcher feedback.

(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Key features include:

  1. Enhanced User Accessibility: With improved alt text and titles, the website’s thoughtful design ensures that visitors of all ages and technical abilities can easily navigate the information.
  2. Expanded Artifact Exploration: With limited physical space, a small percentage of the museum’s artifacts can be displayed. The new Digital Artifact Collection will showcase all the objects in the collection. Constantly growing, this digital resource allows users to not only search thematically, ranging from bicentennial materials to Head of State gifts, but users can also explore highlighted collections such as Betty Ford’s dresses and the many footballs gifted to the President. For those unable to visit the museum in person, users can also learn more about objects in our permanent and temporary exhibits.
  3. Detailed Presidential Activity Log with Accompanying Photographs: Users can explore the daily, nearly down-to-the-minute schedule of the President paired with pictures in the Daily Diary and Contact Sheets.
  4. Improved Research Tools: Researchers will benefit from the improved search functionalities, detailed metadata and timelines for both the President and First Lady.
  5. Improved Access to Virtual Exhibits: Experience the original, curated, online exhibits easily with the revamped website such as the 1976 Presidential Election and The Watergate Files.

Enhanced interaction

(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“Launching the new website represents a significant step forward in our mission to make our resources more accessible and engaging for everyone,” said Brooke Clement, Director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum.

“We are proud to be able to enhance the ways people can interact with our collections and to make our shared history more readily available.”

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum invites everyone to explore the new website and discover the wealth of resources and experiences it offers.

Gerald R. Ford Museum to offer free summer admission to military personnel and their families

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum announced it will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)



By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org


The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum announced it will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums (BSM) initiative, providing free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer.

The 2024 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, May 18, and end Labor Day, Sept 2.

Creating memories and connection

(Courtesy photo)

BSM is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.

“We have participated in this initiative for years and are proud to be a Blue Star Museum,” said Brooke Clement, director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. “As President, Gerald R. Ford served as the Commander in Chief and this partnership fittingly honors that role and his own military service.”

National Endowment for the Arts Chair, Maria Rosario Jackson, said, “We are grateful to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for participating in this summer’s Blue Star Museums program, and we hope military families will take this opportunity to create meaningful, lifelong memories.

“Whether you are traveling this summer, getting to know a new duty location, or exploring what your community has to offer, Blue Star Museums is a wonderful opportunity to create connection and find inspiration.”

In addition to the Ford Museum, the BSM program includes children’s museums, art, science, and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses and more, hailing from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The list of participating museums continues to grow as additional organizations register (Courtesy photo)

How to participate

The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military – Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members.

Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating BSM.

The current list of participating museums will continue to grow over the summer as organizations register to be a BSM throughout the summer.

To find the list of participating museums, click here.



How to get inspired by visiting this year’s ArtPrize

By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributing Writer


From aesthetics, to healing, to raising awareness of important global issues, ArtPrize 2022 offers something for everyone.

“Elephant Chunko” by Kristina Libby (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

“It’s well known that (people) can create a piece of art and…speak through the art, tell the story, tell the emotion, tell the journey through the art. That can be a very healing thing,” Pamela Alderman, artist and 12-year ArtPrize participant, told WKTV.

Since its inception in 2009, the international art competition ArtPrize has drawn millions of people to Grand Rapids and sparked endless conversations about art and why it matters.

Through Oct. 2, visitors have a chance to experience art in ways they never have before. During the 18-day event, art is exhibited throughout Grand Rapids, from public parks and museums, to galleries and vacant storefronts, to inside bars and on bridges.

Taking a stroll to see what can be seen

This particular reporter spent an enjoyable afternoon scouring the streets and venues of downtown Grand Rapids for art and found much more than was expected.

During her walk, the tutor meet Desert Storm veteran Aaron Ball who is showing his piece at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

In a city already immersed in art, with performance halls, event arenas, and ground-to-rooftop murals decorating several outside walls of businesses and apartment buildings, ArtPrize enhances what Grand Rapids already has to offer.

As I walked from one end of the city to the other, gazing at incredible displays of art of every genre imaginable, I also tuned in to the people. Excitement dominated each venue and exhibit, with art enthusiasts alternating between intensity as they studied the exhibits and displays to gasps of amazement and delight. ArtPrize visitors ranged from young to old, and sported school groups, guests tightly clutching maps while trying to find their way, and others who were clearly natives to the area, striding with confidence and purpose.

But visitors are not the only ones to gain something from ArtPrize.

Using art to give people a ‘voice’

Veterans, led by artist and veteran wife Alderman, and veteran and entrepreneur Michael Hyacinthe, have found healing through art and community.

“Sometimes, when people are traumatized, they can’t put that trauma into words,” Alderman said, “but they can help work through that trauma through an art experience or creative opportunity.” Alderman went on to explain how stress is stored in the mind, but creative outlets can help release that stress.

“Art may not heal the whole person, but it certainly is instrumental in helping to begin that healing journey, or help to continue that healing journey,” said Alderman.

This collection of art by veterans can be found at Veterans Memorial Park and is titled Voices. Partnered with Kent County Veterans Services, Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, and Hyacinthe’s non-profit Has Heart, Alderman and Hyacinthe’s Voices project is raising awareness for veterans while simultaneously providing a pathway to healing and creating a place for veterans to experience hope.

But Alderman and Hyacinthe wanted to do more. “We wanted to inspire dreams, to inspire kids to keep dreaming, keep thinking big, keep reaching for the stars,” Alderman said.

Inspiration knows no age

While venue curators of Voices, Alderman and Hyacinthe also entered ArtPrize as contestants. Their exhibit, Dreams, allowed children to send in drawings that the artists then turned into a large mural.

“The way children communicate also inspires adults. They’re so vulnerable, so honest, and so innocent that they also end up inspiring adults,” said Alderman.

It inspired this reporter. Veterans Memorial Park was my first stop, and I was not disappointed. Among the opportunity to view breathtaking artwork, I was able to meet and chat with Desert Storm veteran Aaron Bull, and also write a note on a yellow ribbon and tie it to a wall with hundreds of others that would later be distributed in care packages to active-duty soldiers.

Animals, quilts and more

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum hosts artist and mother Luba Sordyl, creator of Help Us. Sordyl created the acrylic painting containing 17 intertwined animals after learning about how chemicals in the water impacted the health of animals and the environment in general. She hopes to raise awareness about this important environmental issue with her artwork.

“United We Stand” by Andrew Lee at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

Also displayed at the museum were handmade quilts titled Shock and Awe & United We Stand by veteran Andrew Lee. In visiting with viewers, Lee said that he created quilts as a way to heal after his two deployments to Iraq. Each quilt is made up of hundreds of individually cut squares of fabric and then given away to veterans once completed.

All ages will find something to enjoy at ArtPrize, with several interactive exhibits that delight both adults and children. Among these are scavenger hunts, mailbox cubbies ready for exploration, large, chunky animal sculptures with colorful bodies called Chunkos, a 12-foot fort, and a display where visitors can write and share their dreams.

To learn more about ArtPrize and find tips to make the most of your visit, click here: ArtPrize 2022.


D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author

Gerald R. Ford Museum once again site of Four Chaplains service

For the past several years, Wyoming resident Harriet Sturim, through the American Legion Post 459, has helped to organize the Four Chaplains service at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. This Saturday, as the nation marks the 75th anniversary of these heroic men, Sturim will host her last program.

 

“It is time for someone to take the program to the next level,” Sturim said, adding that she has enjoyed the opportunity to remember the acts of the Four Chaplains.

 

One Feb. 3, 1943, Reformed Church Rev. Clark V. Poling, Rabbi Alexander D Goode and Methodist Rev. George L. Fox sacrificed themselves to save hundreds of soldiers on the U.S. Army transport Dorchester. A German U2 submarine fired onto ship, causing it to sink. The men kept everyone calm, handing our life preservers, including their own.

 

“Those who survived remember seeing them on the ship, arm-in-arm, singing as the ship went down,” Sturim said.

 

For many years, the National American Legion has encouraged posts across the nation to host a Four Chaplains Day event, something that Grand Rapids’ American Legion Post 459 has been doing for the past 14 years.

 

This year, the event is set for Saturday, Jan. 27, from noon-2 p.m.. It will focus on the story of the four chaplains, their friendship and sacrifice. Taking place at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW, the event will include a special memorial to Ret. U.S. Army Chaplain Herman Keizer, who died last year. Keizer would tell the story of the chaplains at the service and rightfully so, as the retired chaplain had dedicated his life to researching and educating people about the moral injury and recovery for military veterans.

 

“It will be a recognition of his service to us all these years,” Sturim said. “One of the greatest mentors I ever had. He was an incredible man in what he accomplished in his lifetime.”

 

Sturim noted that the United States is marking several anniversaries this year.

 

“This is a very big commemorative year as this is the 75th anniversary for the chaplains and World War II along with being the 50th anniversary of the Korean War,” Struim said.

 

Attendees for the event will include many veterans from those conflicts along with a special guest who is a relative of one of those who was on the Dorchester.

 

Refreshments will be served following the service. Sturim also noted the Ford Museum will be free to program attendees.

ArtPrize sees an increase in artists, venues for 2016 event

More than 2,100 artists have registered for ArtPrize Eight.
More than 2,100 artists have registered for ArtPrize Eight.

With artist registration officially closed, ArtPrize has announced a huge increase in both artists and venues for the upcoming event set for Sept. 21 – Oct. 9.

 

About 2,124 artists or artist teams have registered about 2,008 entries in hopes of competing for a combination of public vote and juried awards totaling $500,000 this fall. That is about 475 more than last year’s number of artists, which totaled around 1,649.

 

Also the number of venues have increased by 20 over last year coming in at 182 venues for the 2016 event. Last year, there was a 162 venues that participated. The 182 number includes 38 new spaces within the three-square-mile jurisdiction of downtown Grand Rapids. Venue registration closed April 7.

 

The numbers for 2016 do not reflect the final tally as registered artists and venues have until June 23 to connect.

 

We took a quick look at those that have been matched noting there are several from the Kentwood and Wyoming areas such as dancer Morgan Fraiser of Wyoming, who will be presenting a time-based piece at the newly reopened Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW; and James Schneider, of Kentwood, who will have his piece “Systems of Reception” at DeVos Place Convention Center, 33 Monroe Ave. NW.

 

To a view a continuously updated list of connected entries, visit artprize.org/entries.

 

ArtPrize is one of the largest art competitions in the world. More than $500,000 are awarded out with the largest prizes being for the grand prize winner in the public vote, which receives $200,000 and the juried grand prize winner which receives $200,000. Cash awards are also given in the categories of two-dimensional, three-dimensional, installation and time-based. For more information about ArtPrize, visit www.artprize.org.