Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 186
Nixon White House Tape 186 (February 2, 1973)
9 conversations · Camp David Study Desk · about 20 min of released audio
Featuring Sumrell, Kissinger, Hirsch, Sisco, Morlan
William Hirsch utilized the Camp David telephone system to facilitate logistical communications between the facility's kitchen staff and personnel at the Aspen lodge. The exchange primarily served as an administrative request to connect Hirsch with Charlie C. Sumrell. No substantive policy discussions occurred, as the dialogue was limited to verifying availability and routing the call.
William Hirsch and Charles Sumrell coordinate the retrieval of recording equipment and tapes located in the den at Camp David. They discuss the logistics of whether to transport the entire machine or simply remove the tapes for collection. The conversation concludes with the decision to bring both the tapes and the smaller recording device to the requested location.
Henry Kissinger placed a personal call from Camp David to his father, Louis Kissinger, and his sister-in-law, Paula Stern Kissinger, to wish his father a happy birthday and discuss recent events. The family members praised Kissinger’s recent television appearance and discussed his upcoming diplomatic trip to Hanoi. Despite his family’s concerns regarding his safety, Kissinger expressed confidence in his security detail and promised to call again before his departure.
Henry Kissinger consulted with his staff to review recent messages and professional feedback following his well-received television appearance on the CBS program with Marvin Kalb. He subsequently coordinated with General Brent Scowcroft to confirm the successful transmission of a communiqué regarding the implementation of the Paris Peace Accords with the Soviet Union. The conversation concluded with Kissinger arranging for an assistant to explain his scheduling constraints to Catherine Hoffman due to ongoing meetings with President Nixon and Prime Minister Edward Heath.
Henry Kissinger contacted Cmdr. Jonathan T. Howe to organize an urgent diplomatic notification strategy regarding the upcoming announcement of his February 1973 trip to the People's Republic of China. Kissinger directed Howe to send back-channel communications to key diplomatic personnel and foreign governments, including representatives in South Korea, Japan, France, West Germany, Great Britain, and Laos. The instructions emphasized framing these notifications as routine consultations following the recent Vietnam settlement and maintaining strict confidentiality under the guise of contributing to peace in Asia.
Charles C. Sumrell received a briefing regarding the logistics of President Nixon's upcoming return to Camp David. The unknown caller confirmed the President's travel status and instructed Sumrell to await further communications regarding specific scheduling details. This brief coordination ensured that appropriate arrangements were in place for the President's arrival.
Frank A. Sisco and Charles A. Grunden coordinated administrative logistics regarding operations at Camp David. The participants confirmed that facilities were prepared for use and discussed the upcoming schedule for President Nixon's return to the retreat. No formal policy decisions were made, as the conversation focused exclusively on site readiness and scheduling updates.
Frank A. Sisco and Sergeant Farrell D. Morlan discuss logistical problems regarding the recording equipment and tapes used for the President at Camp David. Sisco expresses confusion after discovering that the new blank tapes provided to him contained pre-recorded music, prompting a discussion about supply chain errors and communication failures between the White House staff and audiovisual personnel. Morlan clarifies that the President specifically requires C-120 tapes and instructs Sisco to source them directly from Stoddard to ensure consistency and prevent further recording issues.
Camp David operator Charles C. Sumrell contacted Sergeant Farrell D. Morlan to verify specific technical requirements for supply procurement. The conversation centered on confirming whether the requested equipment consisted of C-120 or C-20 audio tapes, with the parties clarifying that the former are two-hour recording tapes. This exchange resolved a discrepancy in communication regarding the necessary supplies for the White House operations at Camp David.