Larry Buendorf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larry Buendorf
|
|
|---|---|
Buendorf (in foreground, with sunglasses) protecting Ford on September 5, 1975, the day of the assassination attempt
|
|
| Born |
Larry Merle Buendorf
November 18, 1937 Wells, Minnesota, U.S.
|
| Died | March 9, 2025 (aged 87) |
| Alma mater | Minnesota State University, Mankato, B.S. 1959 |
| Occupation | Chief Security Officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Secret Service special agent |
Larry Merle Buendorf (born November 18, 1937 – died March 9, 2025) was an important person who worked to keep people safe. He was a United States Navy pilot and later a Secret Service agent. He also served as the main security officer for the United States Olympic Committee. Larry Buendorf is especially known for stopping an attempt to harm U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975.
Contents
Larry Buendorf was born in Wells, Minnesota, on November 18, 1937. His parents were Ruby and Merle Buendorf. He finished high school in Wells, Minnesota, in 1955. Later, he earned a degree in Business from Mankato State University in 1959.
After college, he joined the United States Navy. He became a pilot and served during the Vietnam War. In 1970, he joined the Secret Service. He worked there for 23 years, protecting important people.
Larry Buendorf's Secret Service Career
The Secret Service is a special government agency. Its main job is to protect the President, Vice President, and their families. They also protect other important leaders and visitors.
Buendorf worked in different Secret Service offices. From 1972 to 1977, he was part of the team that protected the President. Later, from 1983 to 1993, he was in charge of a protective division. He was again assigned to protect President Gerald Ford and the First Lady, Betty Ford.
Protecting President Gerald Ford
On September 5, 1975, President Gerald Ford was in Sacramento. He had just given a speech and was greeting a crowd. A woman named Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was following him. She pointed a gun at President Ford.
Larry Buendorf quickly reacted. He heard a "metallic click" sound from the gun. As Fromme shouted, Buendorf grabbed the gun from her hand. He then brought her to the ground, stopping the danger.
For his brave actions, Buendorf received two special awards. He got the U.S. Treasury Meritorious Service Award. He also received the United States Secret Service Valor Award. These awards recognized his courage in protecting the President.
After this event, Buendorf and President Ford stayed in touch. They would talk on the phone every year on the anniversary of the attack. Buendorf also visited Ford and went skiing with him sometimes.
Larry Buendorf and the U.S. Olympic Committee
After leaving the Secret Service in 1993, Buendorf took on a new role. He became the Chief Security Officer for the United States Olympic Committee. This committee helps prepare U.S. athletes for the Olympic Games.
His office was in Colorado Springs, Colorado. From there, he helped watch over security at other Olympic training places. These included sites in Lake Placid, New York, and Chula Vista, California.
The Olympic Committee grounds are open to visitors. They have a visitor's center and a gift shop. Buendorf was in charge of keeping these grounds safe. He believed in having a strong security presence without making it feel like a fortress. He wanted people to know it was safe, but not scary.
He was not directly in charge of security for the actual Olympic Games. When the Olympics were held in the U.S. in 1996 and 2002, local and federal police handled security. Larry Buendorf retired from his position with the Olympic Committee in 2018.
Larry Buendorf's Death
Larry Buendorf passed away in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on March 9, 2025. He was 87 years old.
Other Achievements
Larry Buendorf was recognized for his athletic skills too. He was inducted into the Minnesota Athletic Hall of Fame.
Acting Credits
In 2004, Larry Buendorf appeared in a TV documentary. It was called Inside the U.S. Secret Service.
