Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 737 › Conversation 737-006

Nixon & Bull on John Paul Vann and Funeral arrangements

Friday, June 16, 1972 · 12:38 PM–12:44 PM ET · Oval Office · 57 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation737-006 on Tape 737 (tape position 02:51:21–02:53:15)StartFriday, June 16, 1972 at 12:38 PMEndFriday, June 16, 1972 at 12:44 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 737-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed final logistical arrangements for the funeral of John Paul Vann, focusing specifically on managing the conduct of Vann's son. Bull secured assurances that the son would refrain from making a potentially disruptive protest presentation during the event. The pair finalized plans for the President to honor the family and present a formal citation to the press following the services.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I spoke with the family.
The boy has given his word that he's not going to make a presentation to you.
They put it to him in the context that we're here today to honor the father.
And the boy, if the family feels they can trust him in this case, I'll come in and talk to them.
about their father, and then I'll say, I'll run you out to the press center, and I'll present the citation.
They're still positioning people appropriately as they come in.
It's probably going to be a pretty fascinating time.
And the press will be voting for the citation, and then they'll come in for the reinterpreted presentation of the citation.
That's correct.
And they're going out expeditiously.
And they're group, and I lead.

NARA Description

On June 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and 12:44 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 737-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 737-6

Date: June 16, 1972
Time: Unknown between 12:38 and 12:44 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

     Funeral for John Paul Vann
         -Draft card presentation
                -John A. Vann
         -Arrangements
                -Photograph

Coffey left at an unknown time before 12:44 pm.

Also recorded on June 16, 1972

  • 737-002 10:18 AM · 1 hr 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, John D. Ehrlichman, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L. Richardson, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Clark MacGregor, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Thomas C. Korologos, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:18 am and 11:18 am.
  • 737-003 11:18 AM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:18 am and 11:22 am.
  • 737-004 11:22 AM · 1 hr 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Luis Echeverria Alvarez, Emilio Rabasa Mishkin, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Donald F. Barnes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:22 am to 12:26 pm.
  • 025-071 12:20 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard M. Helms talked on the telephone from 12:20 pm to 12:33 pm.
  • 737-005 12:33 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Vernon C. Coffey, Jr., and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:33 pm to 2:38 pm.
  • 737-007 12:44 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, John A. Vann, John A. Vann, Thomas Vann, Peter Vann, Frank Vann, Eugene Vann, Dorothy Vann Cadorette, Dorothy Vann Cadorette, Mary Jane Vann, William P. Rogers, Melvin R. Laird, Ronald L. Ziegler, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, Vernon C. Coffey, Jr., John K. Andrews, Jr., and Joseph W. Alsop met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:44 pm to 12:53 pm.
  • 737-008 12:53 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:53 pm and 12:56 pm.
  • 737-009 12:56 PM · 35 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, John D. Ehrlichman, Alexander P. Butterfield, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:56 pm to 1:35 pm.

All 11 conversations from June 16, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 737-006, June 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/737-006 (accessed September 30, 2026).