Gerald Ford's path to the White House - ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports

On this day in 1974, Gerald R. Ford became president of the United States. It happened one day after the resignation of Richard Nixon.

Ford was the only president who was a non-elected vice president and a non-elected president. He became Nixon's second vice president after the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew in 1973.

Ford pardoned Nixon, citing a desire to put the past behind for the sake of the country.