On March 31, 1973, director John Ford was the first recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award. At the same ceremony, he was also presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Richard Nixon. Ford won 7 Academy Awards over the course of his career for some of his best known films, STAGECOACH, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY and THE QUIET MAN in addition to winning Oscars for his two documentaries shot during World War II for THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY and DECEMBER 7th.