Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 157 › Conversation 157-001

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Apollo 17 and Eugene A. Cernan

Tuesday, December 5, 1972 · 9:00 PM–9:31 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 28 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation157-001 on Tape 157StartTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 9:00 PMEndTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 9:31 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 157-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone call to the Apollo 17 astronauts. He specifically requested to speak with Commander Eugene A. Cernan at 9:30 pm, confirming that the entire crew would be available together for the conversation. This interaction served as a logistical arrangement to establish official contact with the crew during their final lunar mission.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Yes, please.
You can get the Apollo astronauts on the phone at 9.30, please.
9.30?
Sure, sir.
That's Mr. Cernan.
You placed a call to him.
They'll all be together.
Very good, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On December 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:00 pm and 9:31 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 157-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 157-1

Date: December 5, 1972
Time: Unknown between 9:00 pm and 9:31 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See also Conversation No. 233-23]

       Request for a call to [Apollo XVII] astronauts
            -Capt. Eugene A. Cernan

Also recorded on December 6, 1972

  • 233-023 9:00 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:00 pm and 9:31 pm.
  • 157-002 9:31 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Harrison H. ("Jack") Schmitt talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:31 pm to 9:39 pm.
  • 233-001 9:31 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Harrison H. ("Jack") Schmitt met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 9:31 pm to 9:39 pm.
  • 157-003 9:39 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:39 pm and 10:05 pm.
  • 233-002 9:39 PM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:39 pm and 10:05 pm.
  • 233-003 9:39 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:39 pm and 10:05 pm.
  • 233-004 9:39 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:39 pm and 10:05 pm.
  • 233-005 9:39 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:39 pm and 10:05 pm.

All 49 conversations from December 6, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 157-001, December 6, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/157-001 (accessed October 10, 2026).