Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 380 › Conversation 380-006

Nixon alone in his EOB office on Harry S. Truman and Presidential funeral

Thursday, December 28, 1972 · 11:08 AM–11:56 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 11 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation380-006 on Tape 380StartThursday, December 28, 1972 at 11:08 AMEndThursday, December 28, 1972 at 11:56 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 380-006 ↗

President Nixon recorded a memorandum detailing his reflections on the death and funeral arrangements of former President Harry S. Truman. The President recounted his personal experiences surrounding the transition, including his trip to the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, to pay respects and meet with the Truman family. He evaluated Truman's character and historical legacy while outlining the logistics of the official mourning process and state proceedings.

Download MP3 · 15.1 MB

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 18% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.

It will be at 12 on the 22nd.
Apparently.
The last one I had on it was on Christmas Day.
I'm sorry to come back to Washington.
Ironically, it was the correct one because it was earlier than I was planning on getting here for so long.
for an hour or so before the appointment.
And without admitting it, I went forward with a private, you know, service.
This body line was taken to the library, and I went out there and asked my friends to play me a part in this government.
They had the idea of having me serve some people.
Of course, I
I had a feeling that I was going to die.
I was going to die.
Second, state house acceleration.
Thank you.
.
.
.
.
.
Daniel was there.
He was not a very good man.
He was a very strong man.
He was a very good man.
He was a very good man.
He was a very good man.
Thank you.

On December 28, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:08 am and 11:56 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 380-006 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 380-6

Date: December 28, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:08 am and 11:56 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President dictated a memorandum for the file.

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

          Death of Harry S. Truman
               -Date of previous memorandum
               -Return to Washington, DC
               -Notification
               -Funeral service
                     -Body in state at Truman Library
                     -The President’s trip to Truman Library
                           -Wreath, poem
                     -Capitol
               -[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
                     -Grandson

[Pause]

               -The President’s trip to Truman Library
                    -Kansas City
                    -Recollections
                    -State house
                    -Meeting with Truman family
                          -Margaret Truman Daniel, Clifton Daniel
                                 -Sons

*****************************************************************
                                            -16-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

[This memorandum continues as Conversation No. 380-8]
  • 035-022 10:23 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:23 am and 11:08 am.
  • 380-002 10:23 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:23 am and 11:08 am.
  • 035-023 11:08 AM · 21 sec — the White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 11:08 am.
  • 380-003 11:08 AM · 20 sec — the White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 11:08 am.
  • 380-004 11:08 AM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:08 am and 11:56 am.
  • 380-005 11:08 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:08 am and 11:56 am.
  • 035-024 11:56 AM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 11:56 am to 11:57 am.
  • 380-007 11:56 AM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:56 am and 11:57 am.

Conversation 380-006, December 28, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/380-006 (accessed October 11, 2026).