Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 131 › Conversation 131-004

Mizzer & Camp David Operator on Telecommunications and Technical support

Tuesday, May 16, 1972 · 12:01 AM–2:26 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 1 min

ParticipantsMizzer, John ("Microwave"); Camp David Operator; [Unknown person(s)]Conversation131-004 on Tape 131 (tape position 00:03:44–00:04:51)StartTuesday, May 16, 1972 at 12:01 AMEndWednesday, May 17, 1972 at 2:26 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 131-004 ↗

AI Summary

John Mizzer coordinates with Camp David operators and Major Petrie to troubleshoot persistent line noise during telephone communications. The participants verify the integrity of local circuits and microwave patching systems to identify the source of the interference. They conclude that switching to an alternative patch successfully clears the connection and agree to conduct further testing on remaining circuits.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, please.
Petrie.
Yeah, I got a call for Petrie here.
Go ahead, please.
What's up, Major Petrie?
Eon, this is Messer.
Okay, uh, we did patch over, if you want to try it again.
We tried it, and it's good, Jack, when it's patched over.
Huh.
Very good.
Okay, okay, because, uh...
Right.
Gascon used a local KY-3.
Right.
And checked out all of these circuits locally from down here.
Right, right.
They were far by.
No crackling, no noise, no nothing.
And we had made no changes in the microwave or patching or anything like that since then.
So it was only like 20 minutes to half an hour ago at the most.
So I don't know where that noise came from.
I don't know either, but she was in there.
Yeah, but I mean, you know, I know as soon as we switch patch over to this other system, we're all right.
But I just wanted to let you know, just check the dog out thing.
Okay, then.
All right.
Are you going to go through the other ones, too, then?
Yeah, I think so.
All righty.
Just leave it.
Right.
Okay.
Bye.

NARA Description

John ("Microwave") Mizzer, Camp David operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 131-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 131-4

Date: Unknown between May 16 and 17, 1972
Time: Unknown between 12:01 am, May 16 and 2:26 pm, May 17
Location: Camp David Study Table

John (“Microwave”) Mizzer talked with the Camp David operator.

     Request for a call to [Forename unknown] Petrie

     The Camp David operator talked with an unknown man

     Request for a call to Petrie

Mizzer talked with Petrie.

     Telephone check
          -A patch
          -Local line
          -Noise
                                             3

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)

Also recorded on May 16, 1972

  • 024-133 11:07 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:07 pm and 11:12 pm.
  • 024-134 11:12 PM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 11:12 pm to 11:41 pm.
  • 024-135 11:41 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:41 pm and 11:42 pm.
  • 024-136 11:42 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 11:42 pm to 11:49 pm.
  • 131-001 12:01 AM · 2 min — Unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972.
  • 131-002 12:01 AM · 23 sec — Unknown person(s) and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972.
  • 131-003 12:01 AM · 52 sec — Unknown person(s) and John ("Microwave") Mizzer talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972.
  • 024-147 1:05 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:05 am and 10:11 am.

All 113 conversations from May 16, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 131-004, May 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/131-004 (accessed October 27, 2026).