Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 23 › Conversation 023-162

Haig & Hartley on Henry A. Kissinger and Helicopter transport

Thursday, May 4, 1972 · 3:55 PM–5:25 PM ET · White House Telephone · 41 sec

ParticipantsHaig, Alexander M., Jr.; White House operator; Hartley, MurielConversation023-162 on Tape 23StartThursday, May 4, 1972 at 3:55 PMEndThursday, May 4, 1972 at 5:25 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 023-162 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417193609 ↗

AI Summary

Alexander M. Haig, Jr. contacts staff to coordinate urgent helicopter transport for Henry A. Kissinger. Despite reports of potential delays due to inclement weather and shower activity, Haig directs Muriel Hartley to secure the aircraft at the Pentagon pad immediately. The exchange highlights the logistical pressure and command style involved in managing Kissinger's time-sensitive travel arrangements.

Audio

Download MP3 · 0.9 MB

NARA Description

On May 4, 1972, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., White House operator, and Muriel Hartley talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:25 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-162 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 23-162

Date: May 4, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:55 and 5:25 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked with the White House operator.

     Request for a call to his office

Haig talked with Murial Hartley at an unknown time.

     Laura [Surname unknown]

     Richard Campbell

     Helicopter
          -Preparation for Henry A. Kissinger
                -Problems
                     -Weather
                -Time

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

General Haig, get my office, please.
Thanks, sir.
Mr. Kissinger's office.
Yeah, Laura?
Muriel.
Muriel, tell Dick Camel to get that helicopter put on the Pentagon pad for Henry right away.
Well, I'm not sure.
You know, they told us they might not be able to.
Why?
If it didn't take off by 510 because of the shower activity.
Get it.
What do you mean, the shower activity?
That's all I know.
Get it done.
Get it put on there for what time?
Right now.
All right.
Okay.

Also recorded on May 4, 1972

  • 023-153 3:04 PM · 8 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
  • 023-154 3:04 PM · 31 sec — the White House operator, Henry A. Kissinger, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
  • 023-155 3:04 PM · 2 min — the White House operator, Henry A. Kissinger, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and John B. Connally talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
  • 023-156 3:04 PM · 18 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:44 pm.
  • 023-158 3:55 PM · 51 sec — Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm.
  • 023-159 3:55 PM · 11 sec — Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, President Richard M. Nixon, and John B. Connally talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm.
  • 023-160 3:55 PM · 11 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm.
  • 023-161 3:55 PM · 7 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 5:15 pm.

All 45 conversations from May 4, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 023-162, May 4, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417193609). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/023-162 (accessed November 4, 2026).