


In accordance with his statement of resignation the previous
evening, Richard M. Nixon officially ended his term as the 37th
president of the United States at noon on August 9, 1974. Before departing with his family in a helicopter from the White House
lawn, he smiled farewell and enigmatically raised his arms in a
victory or peace salute (above). The helicopter door was then
closed, and the Nixon family began their journey home to San
Clemente, California. Richard Nixon was the first U.S. president
to resign from office.
Minutes later, Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the
38th president of the United States in the East Room of the White
House. After taking the oath of office, President Ford spoke to the
nation in a television address (below) declaring, “My fellow
Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”



The Westinghouse Electric Corporation was a manufacturing
company founded in 1886 by George Westinghouse. it was
originally named Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing
Company, and renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation
in 1945. The company acquired the CBS television network
in 1995, and was renamed into the first incarnation of CBS
Corporation before being acquired by Viacom in 1999, and
completed in April 26, 2000.



Musician Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, a co-founder of the legendary
funk band Kool & the Gang, died Saturday in New Jersey. The cause
was not disclosed.