Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 471 › Conversation 471-015

Nixon, Massarini & Butterfield on International Military Sports Council

Wednesday, March 24, 1971 · 11:38 AM–11:43 AM ET · Oval Office · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Massarini, Aldo; Moniez, Paul; Bullet, Jacques; Wickham, Kenneth G.; Anderson, Earl E.; Paiva, Maocyr; Rieke, Willi; Lee, Jae Chul; McNamara, William G.; Mollet, Raoul; Hughes, James D. ("Don"); White House photographerConversation471-015 on Tape 471 (tape position 02:24:45–02:31:36)StartWednesday, March 24, 1971 at 11:38 AMEndWednesday, March 24, 1971 at 11:43 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 471-015 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with representatives of the International Military Sports Council, led by Admiral Aldo Massarini, to accept a commemorative medal and discuss the organization's contributions to international relations. The meeting featured a brief photo opportunity with the press to highlight the role of military personnel in fostering global peace through athletic competition. Following the delegation's departure, Nixon consulted with Alexander Butterfield regarding the upcoming signing of a proclamation for USO Day.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 3 minutes of this recording (about 50% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Thank you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, this is the United Nations.
The United Nations is really a very interesting thing to do.
See, where do you want to go?
Right in the center.
And then if you're not mindful of it like this, you just make a whole other picture.
And then if you're not mindful of it like this, you just make a whole other picture.
Thank you, Mr. President.
On behalf of the international community, this vote is going to be taken by the committee and council.
I take the vote with pleasure.
Thank you for accepting this medal.
This is the highest award in our organization.
A medal of our foundation.
Thank you for all your support.
And I remember that we are here, we are also to thank you for the important platform that you gave to our police during the last championship, which the U.S. delegation has organized in your country.
And as this boy is talking, we are happy to see you, sir.
Well, I'm also grateful to support your activities.
But we have a really fantastic, we have a lot of good ones, and we're proud.
Impressive, I'll take a photograph if you don't mind.
I don't know if we can all do this.
I don't know if we can all do this.
How did it go?
Sit down, we're gonna wrap up, please.
Thank you for your time.
I certainly am most grateful to you for your help.
Coming to make the presentation, I want to thank you for your work.
I have often said, you know, we think of our military people in terms of all the problems of war, but we sometimes forget what the enormous contribution they've made to our society, and that is the peace.
If I go to the research program in this country,
Thank you.
Thank you.
Reclaiming February 3rd or 4th of USO Day.

NARA Description

On March 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Aldo Massarini, Paul Moniez, Jacques Bullet, Kenneth G. Wickham, Earl E. Anderson, Maocyr Paiva, Willi Rieke, Jae Chul Lee, William G. McNamara, Raoul Mollet, James D. ("Don") Hughes, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:38 am to 11:43 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 471-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 471-15
Date: March 24, 1971
Time: 11:38 am - 11:43 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield, Admiral Aldo Massarini, General Paul Moniez,
General Jacques Bullet, Major General Kenneth G. Wickham, Major General Earl E. Anderson,
Colonel Maocyr Paiva, Colonel Willi Rieke, Colonel Jae Chul Lee, William G. McNamara,
Raoul Mollet, and Major General James D. (“Don”) Hughes

     Introductions

     Arrangements for photo

A photographer entered at an unknown time after 11:38 am

     [General conversation]

The photographer left at an unknown time before 11:43 am

     Presentation to President

     International Military Sports Council

     Press photograph

Members of the press entered at an unknown time after 11:38 am

     [Unintelligible]

Members of the press left at an unknown time before 11:43 am

     Gifts
     Council’s work
         -Presentation
         -Role of military

Massarini, et al. left at 11:43 am

[Butterfield remained in the Oval Office]

     President’s schedule
          -Signing of proclamation
          -United Service Organization [USO] day

Butterfield left at 11:43 am

Also recorded on March 24, 1971

  • 471-013 11:26 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Joseph H. Blatchford, Carol M. Khosrovi, George P. Shultz, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:26 am to 11:37 am.
  • 471-014 11:37 AM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:37 am.
  • 471-016 11:44 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Harvey Firestone, Emmett O'Donnell, George T. Bell, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:44 am to 11:50 am.
  • 471-017 11:50 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:50 am to 11:51 am.
  • 471-018 11:51 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Craig S. Campbell, Charles R. Larson, James D. ("Don") Hughes, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:51 am to 11:54 am.
  • 471-019 11:54 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 11:58 am.
  • 471-020 11:54 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 11:58 am.
  • 471-021 11:54 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Gerald R. Ford met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 11:58 am.

All 22 conversations from March 24, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 471-015, March 24, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/471-015 (accessed October 12, 2026).