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Conversation 662-006

TapeTape 662StartTuesday, February 1, 1972 at 11:53 AMEndTuesday, February 1, 1972 at 12:05 PMTape start time02:17:45Tape end time02:30:13ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Scott, David R. (Col.);  Scott, David R. (Mrs.);  Irwin, James B. (Col.);  Irwin, James B. (Mrs.);  Worden, Alfred M. (Lt. Col.);  Flanigan, Peter M.;  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.;  White House photographer;  Bull, Stephen B.;  Nixon, Richard M. (President);  Scott, David R. (Col.);  Scott, David R. (Mrs.);  Irwin, James B. (Col.);  Irwin, James B. (Mrs.);  Worden, Alfred M. (Lt. Col.);  Flanigan, Peter M.;  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.;  White House photographer;  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon met with Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott, James Irwin, and Alfred Worden, along with their spouses and staff, to discuss the astronauts' recent goodwill mission to Poland and Yugoslavia. The group exchanged impressions regarding the reception they received in Eastern Europe and discussed the diplomatic benefits of their travel. Additionally, the President touched upon the progress of the space shuttle program and finalized the meeting by presenting gifts to the astronauts and their families.

Apollo 15DiplomacyEastern EuropeSpace ShuttleGoodwill mission
AudioNARA Description

On February 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Col. David R. Scott, Mrs. David R. Scott, Col. James B. Irwin, Mrs. James B. Irwin, Lt. Col. Alfred M. Worden, Peter M. Flanigan, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:53 am to 12:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 662-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 662-6

Date: February 1, 1972
Time: 11:53 am - 12:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Colonel and Mrs. David R. Scott, Colonel and Mrs. James B. Irwin,
Lieutenant Colonel Alfred M. Worden, Peter M. Flanigan, and Gen. Alexander M. Haig; Jr.; the
White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

     Greetings
          -Apologies from the President

     Goodwill mission to Poland and Yugoslavia
         -Apollo XV’s astronauts’ impression
               -Weather
         -Reception
         -Photograph session
               -Voice of America [VOA]
         -Benefits of trip
         -Extent of trip
               -Yugoslavia
               -Poland
               -Communism
                     -Poland
                     -Hungary
                     -Czechoslovakia
                     -Romania
                     -Latin America
         -Iron curtain countries
               -Visits
               -Yugoslavia, Poland
         -Mars
         -Background of astronauts
                                                 23

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/06)



                   -Timing of next Apollo mission
              -Extent of travels
                   -Poland, Yugoslavia, and the US
              -Space travel
              -View of US
                   -Fascination
              -Reception

      People’s Republic of China [PRC]
           -Forthcoming visit by the President
           -Possible visit by astronauts

      Space shuttle
           -Progress
           -Interest in Eastern Europe
           -Benefits

      Gifts
              -Watches
              -Cufflinks

      PRC trip
          -Table tennis

      Astronauts families
           -Camp David trip
                 -Timing
           -General conversation

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:53 am.

      Gifts presentation
            -Pens
            -Golf balls

      University of Nebraska football team

Bull, et al. left at 12:05 pm.
                                                24

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

I'm glad to see you again, Tommy.
I heard a word from you.
I'm glad to see you again, Tommy.
I heard a word from you.
I'm glad to see you again, Tommy.
I heard a word from you.
I'm glad to see you again, Tommy.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard a word from you.
I heard
Oh, we want to get this for the purposes of their Voice of America and that sort of thing.
What would you like to tell her?
I don't know if that's right.
Well, she isn't, huh?
How's that?
All right.
Good as it goes.
You asked for it.
You asked for it.
Most of you got the idea that her wife is a mom.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Where you were, it didn't do you as long.
You just held her out, and you decided to sit down.
And all of them decided to force off and do that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Because, you know, it's actually a great tragedy that those people have to live on those damn old counties.
You know, the Poles, the Poles hate that.
They'll be with us in a minute.
I mean, if they have a chance to do it.
Oh, there are no questions.
And they have to, but it's there.
And you get the same impression in Hungary, in Slovakia, in Maine, in all those countries.
It just seems that all aren't, frankly, a lot of us there are Europeans.
It's really a general situation.
And any of you who have been there before, you know that our country is not so good.
But it seems to be great.
Or do you want to go next?
Well, I'll tell you.
What's the next ?
You're all Air Force.
What's the next one?
Is it Air Force or Air Force?
It's .
You got what you need now for just Poland, Yugoslavia, America, and so forth and so on.
Great.
Well, I must say, we're awfully proud of you.
We're proud of you now, so are you.
Space witness, these travels.
in those foreign countries, and I would hope in this country, you know, to remember that, you know, there are lots of people here who will appreciate it.
I'm still a fascination with it, despite what you've agreed with on tolls and all that sort of thing.
I was very fascinated by you as people, as people.
I was grateful that we had the opportunity.
Yeah, sure.
But I mean, here at the United States, you get around everything that we want to do, and we're just people in this world.
So you just start following.
I mean, you just start following.
We have very few, well, not a lot of good stars.
We have all the same ones.
We're all looking to change the universe.
Do you follow, sir?
Well, I guess it's something that happens here.
So I appreciate you giving it a round.
It's a pleasure for us to be able to do it.
People really like it here.
Wherever we go, we have these things they want.
Well, he had the right of insurance.
He made it out of the U.S. government.
He had a group that comes by there.
This is a shape like a car.
They don't even believe in that.
No, we don't believe in that.
But once we've been there, we should see.
We need to practice a little bit.
No, we'll send you.
It's a long way.
We'll send you by this morning.
Practice soft landing.
We've got a million of them.
Well, then, I'll put us along there practicing.
Oh, oh, oh, this is the new space lab, the shuttle, designed to share the land.
On the ground, right?
You go to the moon, right?
Absolutely, absolutely.
You've got to see what you've got.
So, as a matter of fact, it was interesting to hear what our friends in Poland responded upon that.
One of the great things about the space shuttle is that it will allow that management of operations just for the first time.
You couldn't have a tight crew, three-volts, you know, I mean, you can't just, that's what it does.
force that they kind of set up, you know, the Europeans or something to work.
But in the case here, you could pay six or eight.
It's like a bus.
They get up there and decide as you look around.
Anyway, if you get your watch, it's fine.
That's all, sir.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
You've got your complexion.
Oh, here.
Thank you very much, sir.
Thank you very much.
Oh, no, no, thank you.
Here.
Just for that small favor, anybody who does want to come, please.
We won't disturb that.
That's a good reason.
Ah!
Well, anyway, we'll...
You were ready to go anyplace else for my call.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Well, we probably wouldn't need so much for lunch, either, if we didn't have all the musicians around playing mini-songs.
Everybody getting rid of it.
It's good to see you again.
We'll be calling.
Thank you, sir.
All right.
We were at Camp David's, and by the way, I was there with people who were so concerned.
I knew that, but they were lying.
They wrote the cards.
Mr. President, after our visit here, while he was in school, and they were discussing white house, he told his classmates that he was the president.
He was out there as the president, and he was the president.
Which he did, all by himself.
Oh, yeah.
And we'll leave for him.
So you're going to get there early next time.
I'll tell you, I'm going to take him.
Isn't that wonderful?
I mean, this is true of all of your actions.
It's great.
But it's a, it's a problem.
Steve.
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
Well, I'm not Steve, but anyway.
Here's what it is.
He signed your name, et cetera, et cetera.
For all that, our kids.
Is that what it is?
Is that what it is?
Thank you.
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