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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jan '00
JOSEPH FRED BUZHARDT, JR. * '46 NO.15796 * 21 Feb 24
- 16 Dec 78
Died in Hilton Head, SC * Interred in McCormick Cemetery, McCormick,
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Joseph Fred Buzhardt, Jr. was born in Greenwood,
SC but his family later moved to McCormick, SC where Fred spent
his youth. After graduating from high school, he spent two years
at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC before gaining his appointment
to West Point. He joined the Class of 1946 on 1 July 1943.
Fred had no great difficulties as a cadet. He opted
for Air Cadet training and graduated with his wings as a 2nd
Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.
Fred married Imogene Sanders in McCormick, SC on
graduation leave in June 1946 before reporting to Williams Field,
AZ for transition training. He then went into the troop carrier
field and served at McChord AFB, WA and Japan before resigning
in 1950.
He received his law degree, graduating first in
his class, from the University of SC in 1952 and joined his father's
law practice. In 1956, Fred was selected by Senator Strom Thurmond,
SC to be his legislative aide. At that time, Thurmond's Chief
of Staff was Harry S. Dent who later served as special counsel
to the White House. Harry Dent remembered: "I never had
a better friend and comrade than J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. Fred was
the most brilliant person I have ever encountered, and he was
a gentleman of the highest personal moral character." Fred,
as a result of his efforts to help get Nixon elected to his second
term, was made executive officer for a committee to reorganize
the Defense Department around the world. Fred did such a great
job that he was appointed General Counsel of the Defense Department.
When President Nixon ran into difficulty with the
Watergate problem, several influential people, including Secretary
of Defense, Melvin Laird, General Al Haig and Senator Stennis,
MS, recommended that Nixon make Fred his Watergate counsel. This
recommendation was based on Fred's reputation for honesty, integrity
and Christian values. Thus, Fred became deeply involved in one
of the most famous political events in US history. Fred was the
one who told Nixon about the key tape that in effect killed Nixon's
presidency.
"In his book, CRAZY RHYTM, Leonard Garment
hails Fred as a very honest and brilliant attorney." Acclaimed
as the most reliable, fair and balanced story about the Nixon
presidency (1968-1974), Leonard Garment wrote about Fred Buzhardt:
"Buzhardt, for years Strom Thurmond's man in SC and Washington,
was a self-effacing model of personal decency and political moderation.
… Eventually Fred took on Watergate's worst job; he became
official listener to the presidential tapes. He sat for hundreds
of hours, playing and rewinding, making precise little penciled
notes, working away until he suffered the first of the heart
attacks that killed him not long after Nixon resigned."
In their book, THE FINAL DAYS, Woodward and Bernstein
wrote: "On 24 July 1974, President Nixon instructed Buzhardt
to listen to the famous tape of 23 June 1972. Buzhardt, after
hearing the tape, passed the word that President Nixon was definitely
involved and should resign. President Nixon resigned from office
in August 1974."
Fred remained in Washington for a few months after
Nixon resigned to assist the transition of President Ford. He
then returned to private life in Hilton Head, SC.
Fred died from a heart attack on 16 December 1978.
His wife Imogene, two daughters, Linda and Jill and two sons,
Joe and George survived him.
Fred Buzhardt was always proud to be a West Pointer.
His daughter, Linda remembered that her father represented and
lived his life the way a West Point graduate was trained to live.
His children recalled that their father was a wonderful Christian.
He took his Christian morals and standards to the workplace with
him; his love of Christ was always present and carried him through
even the most difficult days of Watergate. Fred served several
churches in the role of Deacon and Sunday School teacher, read
his Bible and taught it well. His wife, Gene, once said that
he especially enjoyed his position as General Counsel to the
Department of Defense, because it was a combination of his military
service, his law degree and his government service.
Fred's dedication to the precepts of DUTY, Honor,
Country is most evident in the comments of all who knew him during
the Watergate era. The thread running through all comments was
that he was honest beyond doubt in an environment practically
devoid of that characteristic.
Senator Strom Thurmond presented the eulogy at
Fred's funeral service: "When the embattled President of
the United States needed help in his gravest hour, he summoned
Fred for that awesome task. In the White House, he served with
distinction and honor under the most difficult and dangerous
circumstances."
To the words of praise from family and friends,
the Class of 1946 proudly adds those words that would mean so
much to our classmate: "Well Done, Fred; Be Thou At Peace!"
Fred's beloved wife, Imogene, died 6 April 1998.
'46 MEMORIAL ARTICLE PROJECT AND HIS CHILDREN
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