Announcing a Program for the Return of Vietnam Era Draft Evaders and Military Deserters

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Description

In this speech, President Ford announced a Presidential Proclamation and Executive Orders that would dispose of cases involving draft evaders and military deserters during the Vietnam War; the program would also handle the cases of those already convicted. Ford explained that his goal in establishing the program was to bind the nation’s wounds and to reestablish unity in the country following the war.

Citation

This primary source comes from the Collection GRF-0122: President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration).

National Archives Identifier: 1252075

Full Citation: Announcing a Program for the Return of Vietnam Era Draft Evaders and Military Deserters; 9/16/1974; 9/16/74 – Announcing a Program for the Return of Vietnam Era Draft Evaders and Military Deserters; Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements, 1974 – 1977; Collection GRF-0122: President’s Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration),; Gerald R. Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/document/ford-statement-draft-evaders/, April 6, 2026]

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