Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 31 › Conversation 031-108

Nixon phone call with Begich on Hale Boggs and Aviation accident

Tuesday, October 17, 1972 · 6:28 PM–6:29 PM ET · White House Telephone · 38 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Begich, Pegge (Jendro)Conversation031-108 on Tape 31StartTuesday, October 17, 1972 at 6:28 PMEndTuesday, October 17, 1972 at 6:29 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 031-108 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon telephoned Pegge Begich to express his personal sympathies following the disappearance of her husband, Representative Nicholas Begich, and Representative Hale Boggs in a plane crash. The President offered comfort and encouraged her to maintain hope during the ongoing search efforts, while also inquiring about her children. This call served as a gesture of support from the White House to the families affected by the tragedy.

  • Nicholas J. Begich
  • Hale Boggs
  • Aviation accident
  • Condolences
  • Search and rescue

Audio

Download MP3 · 0.9 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Hello, I wanted you to know I talked to Mrs. Boggs earlier today that Mrs. Nixon and I are thinking of you and just hoping for the best on your trip.
That was a terrible shock to all of us to read about it and we do tell your sick children too that
called.
I know it's a tough time for you, but you know, just keep the faith and hope for the best.
Okay, thank you for calling.
Bye.

NARA Description

On October 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Pegge (Jendro) Begich talked on the telephone from 6:28 pm to 6:29 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 031-108 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 31-108

Date: October 17, 1972
Time: 6:28 pm - 6:29 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Pegge (Jenko) Begich.

[See Conversation No. 802-6]

        Missing plane with [Thomas] Hale Boggs and Nicholas J. Begich aboard
            -The President's previous conversation with Corinne (Claiborne) (“Lindy”) Boggs
            -The President and Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
            -Pegge Begich's trip
                -Children

Also recorded on October 17, 1972

  • 031-105 6:24 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:24 pm and 6:26 pm.
  • 802-002 6:24 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:24 pm and 6:28 pm.
  • 031-106 6:26 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 6:26 pm to 6:27 pm.
  • 031-107 6:27 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:27 pm and 6:28 pm.
  • 802-006 6:28 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Pegge (Jendro) Begich met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:28 pm to 6:29 pm.
  • 802-007 6:29 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:29 pm and 6:30 pm.
  • 802-008 6:29 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:29 pm and 6:30 pm.
  • 802-009 6:30 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:30 pm to 7:17 pm.

All 65 conversations from October 17, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 031-108, October 17, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-108 (accessed October 10, 2026).