Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-057

Nixon phone call with Risner on Prisoners of War and Vietnam War

Tuesday, February 13, 1973 · 8:27 AM–8:33 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Risner, RobinsonConversation043-057 on Tape 43StartTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 8:27 AMEndTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 8:33 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-057 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Mrs. Robinson Risner to express his personal admiration for her husband, Colonel Robinson Risner, following his return as a prisoner of war. The President lauded the resilience of POW families and emphasized the importance of their support in achieving peace with honor. Nixon advised the family to prioritize the Colonel’s rest and recovery during his homecoming, specifically suggesting that they help him regain his strength with his favorite foods.

Audio

Download MP3 · 3.7 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Hello.
I have Colonel Reisner's wife for you.
Yes.
You are.
Hello.
Hello.
Mrs. Reisner?
Yes.
I wanted you to know how very proud I was of your husband and all of the others as they came off that plane and how much I appreciated the call he made to me from Clark Field.
I know that you and his family and all of your children know what...
What a real hero he is.
I mean, apart from just this ordeal he's been through.
But I was never prouder to be an American than when he called and when I saw those men come off that plane.
Mr. Nixon.
This is one of the greatest moments of my life.
It's just wonderful for you to call like this.
That's what he said when he called me.
I'm just standing in my kitchen.
I can't believe it.
For a man who's an ace in Korea and all the rest to say that made me feel very humble.
But we do want you to know, as I told him that...
Of course, they had to be very careful what they said, but I said that without the continuing faith and support of the wives and mothers and children of our POWs and Missing in Action, we could never have achieved the peace with honor that we have.
So you're also a heroine, and your children too.
Oh, listen, we've just been here waiting.
We've never faltered.
I know that.
I know it.
He is worth waiting for to us, but I still can't believe I'm talking to you.
Listen, I appreciate this so much.
All right.
Well, I hope when you get him back now, you'll be sure.
You know, I tried to tell the nation.
I said, now, don't bother these men.
Let them get home and get acquainted with their families again.
And then after that, we'll have a chance to pay our respects.
But you just get him home and get him a good rest and
What does he like to eat?
Chocolate cake and ice cream.
Chocolate cake and ice cream.
Well, he could use a little.
He looks a little thin.
A little bit, but we're going to make this such a beautiful homecoming that he's just going to be sorry the day he left us.
Yeah, that's right.
It's going to be beautiful.
Well, you just pour that into him, that chocolate cake, and give him a malted milk, too.
I sure will.
I sure will.
All right.
Good luck to you and to all your children.
Thank you so much.
Bye.

NARA Description

On February 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Robinson Risner talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:27 am and 8:33 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-057 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-57

Date: February 13, 1973
                                              -30-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                                Conversation No. 43-57 (cont’d)

Time: Unknown between 8:27 am and 8:33 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Mrs. Robinson Risner.

[See Conversation No. 854-3]

       Col. Robinson Risner's telephone call to the President
             -Clark Air Force Base
             -The President’s appreciation
             -Return of Prisoners of War [POWs]
                   -Support of families
             -Robinson Risner’s favorite foods
             -Homecoming

Also recorded on February 13, 1973

  • 854-001 8:11 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:11 am and 8:27 am.
  • 854-002 8:11 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:11 am and 8:27 am.
  • 043-056 8:27 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:27 am and 8:33 am.
  • 854-003 8:27 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Robinson Risner met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:27 am and 8:33 am.
  • 043-058 8:35 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr. talked on the telephone from 8:35 am to 8:37 am.
  • 854-004 8:35 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Mrs. Jeremiah P. Denton met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:35 am to 8:37 am.
  • 043-059 8:37 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:37 am and 8:47 am.
  • 854-005 8:37 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:37 am and 8:47 am.

All 55 conversations from February 13, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-057, February 13, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-057 (accessed October 1, 2026).