{"conversationCode":"791-005","tapeNumber":791,"conversationNumber":5,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-791-005","startDateTime":"1972-10-03T16:17:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1972-10-03T16:24:00.000Z","startDate":"3-Oct-1972","startTime":"12:17 PM","endDate":"3-Oct-1972","endTime":"12:24 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization; Leyden, John F.; Poli, Robert E.; Sturgil, Robert C.; Cashen, Henry C., II; White House photographer;","description":"On October 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and officers of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, including John F. Leyden, Robert E. Poli, and Robert C. Sturgil, as well as Henry C. Cashen, II and the White House photographer, met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:17 pm to 12:24 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 791-005 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":4,"chronRelease":"Fourth Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"10-Dec-2003","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 791-5\n\nDate: October 3, 1972\nTime: 12:17 pm - 12:24 pm\nLocation: Oval Office\n\nThe President met with John F. Leyden, Robert E. Poli, Robert C. Sturgil and Henry C. Cashen\nII; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.\n\n         Introductions\n\n         Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization [PATCO]\n             -Morale\n                  -Comparison to 1968\n             -Relationship with Administration\n             -Department of Transportation\n\n         [Photograph session]\n             -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins\n\n         Presidential air travel\n             -Peking, Moscow, Samarkand\n             -Lt. Col. Ralph D. Albertazzi\n                  -The President’s view\n                       -Peking, Moscow\n                             -Henry A. Kissinger's trips\n\n                                        (rev. Nov-03)\n\n         Layden\n            -Cleveland\n                -Schedule\n                    -Andrews Air Force Base\n                        -Unknown place\n\n         Anti Ballistic Missile [ABM] Treaty\n\n         Draft\n\n         Presidential cuff links\n             -Presidential seal\n\n         Pins\n                -Wives\n\n         Administration’s relationship with PATCO\n\n         The President's war service\n             -Navy\n             -Aircraft controllers\n             -South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command [SCAT]\n                 -Duties\n                      -Equipment\n                      -Casualties\n\n         Airplane safety\n             -Compared to automobile safety\n\nLeyden et al. left at 12:24 pm.","filename":["791-005.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization","Leyden, John F.","Poli, Robert E.","Sturgil, Robert C.","Cashen, Henry C., II","White House photographer"],"prevCode":"791-004","nextCode":"791-006","transcript":[{"start":2.3,"end":4.86,"text":"John Lane, Mr. President."},{"start":4.88,"end":6.34,"text":"Well, how are you, Mr. President?"},{"start":6.48,"end":7.38,"text":"I'm glad to meet you."},{"start":8.4,"end":8.92,"text":"I'm Paul."},{"start":9.12,"end":13.13,"text":"Thank you, Mr. President."},{"start":13.29,"end":13.75,"text":"I'm Chris."},{"start":14.69,"end":15.53,"text":"I'm Mr. Foster."},{"start":15.85,"end":16.35,"text":"I'm Mr. Foster."},{"start":16.39,"end":19.91,"text":"Oh, we've got the whole car here."},{"start":20.05,"end":20.69,"text":"Very well, guys."},{"start":21.25,"end":21.71,"text":"Congratulations."},{"start":22.03,"end":22.97,"text":"Thank you very much."},{"start":23.27,"end":25.26,"text":"You want to explain something?"},{"start":25.32,"end":26.02,"text":"I'm sure they're helping."},{"start":26.04,"end":26.12,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":26.34,"end":26.7,"text":"Here we are."},{"start":26.74,"end":27.1,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":27.16,"end":27.96,"text":"Long hours."},{"start":28,"end":28.68,"text":"Long hours."},{"start":28.74,"end":30.02,"text":"That's what I was going to say."},{"start":30.04,"end":30.18,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":33.04,"end":35.2,"text":"We want to work with you."},{"start":66.39,"end":67.07,"text":"I appreciate that."},{"start":67.09,"end":67.57,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":67.79,"end":68.01,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":68.07,"end":68.65,"text":"That's good."},{"start":70.8,"end":76.05,"text":"I'm going to pick on the colleague."},{"start":76.07,"end":77.47,"text":"We'll take one first."},{"start":111.38,"end":112.32,"text":"All right."},{"start":112.5,"end":112.96,"text":"All right."},{"start":155.62,"end":156.54,"text":"Are you a viewer?"},{"start":156.9,"end":157.82,"text":"Yes, sir."},{"start":157.94,"end":158.74,"text":"Oh, yeah."},{"start":159.2,"end":161.34,"text":"I was just elected to office."},{"start":161.84,"end":163.93,"text":"Did you work the coming of Andrews?"},{"start":164.01,"end":164.13,"text":"Yes."},{"start":189.02,"end":192.2,"text":"I don't think she's least of all in the crowd."},{"start":192.28,"end":192.74,"text":"Keep up."},{"start":192.78,"end":193.62,"text":"That was a great moment."},{"start":193.66,"end":194.12,"text":"Great start."},{"start":194.16,"end":194.8,"text":"Where are we?"},{"start":194.84,"end":196.04,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":196.1,"end":197.84,"text":"We have to do the next one."},{"start":198.68,"end":199.9,"text":"I guess that'll be here at this moment."},{"start":200.2,"end":201.16,"text":"All right."},{"start":201.24,"end":203.93,"text":"See you."},{"start":204.04,"end":204.19,"text":"Bye."},{"start":205.91,"end":206.25,"text":"Good."},{"start":207.43,"end":211.05,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":212.47,"end":213.47,"text":"It was wonderful."},{"start":214.69,"end":216.69,"text":"And because wives are always wonderful."},{"start":217.09,"end":217.29,"text":"Right."},{"start":218.79,"end":219.51,"text":"Here's the seal."},{"start":219.53,"end":221.81,"text":"You can see the drawer in there."},{"start":223.95,"end":224.25,"text":"There."},{"start":224.67,"end":227.41,"text":"That's where the pen is."},{"start":227.47,"end":234.8,"text":"So, uh, you can, uh, sort of not part of the domain law."},{"start":234.82,"end":246.43,"text":"That's your, that's your, that's your, that's your, that's your, that's your, that's your, that's your,"},{"start":250.92,"end":253.98,"text":"I was in the Navy."},{"start":323.94,"end":325.62,"text":"Airplane crashes, a hit line."},{"start":327.5,"end":331.92,"text":"Automobiles, right at this moment, there are probably 30 people in each one of those."},{"start":332.06,"end":332.58,"text":"That's right."},{"start":332.61,"end":335.01,"text":"That's right."},{"start":335.05,"end":335.89,"text":"That's right."},{"start":335.93,"end":337.57,"text":"Actually, we need to keep track."},{"start":337.61,"end":338.67,"text":"Let's see what time it is."},{"start":338.69,"end":339.81,"text":"You mean all the destinies are out."},{"start":339.83,"end":340.95,"text":"We need to keep track."},{"start":340.97,"end":341.13,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":341.15,"end":341.55,"text":"Oh, yeah."},{"start":341.57,"end":342.91,"text":"This is so interesting."},{"start":343.03,"end":344.33,"text":"This is great."},{"start":344.57,"end":347.15,"text":"I'd like to give a little advice."},{"start":347.17,"end":347.85,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":347.87,"end":348.98,"text":"Good luck to you."},{"start":349.48,"end":350.46,"text":"Thank you."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon met with leaders of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO), including John F. Leyden, Robert E. Poli, and Robert C. Sturgil, to discuss the union's relationship with the administration and air traffic safety. The discussion touched upon Nixon's personal experiences with air travel and his wartime naval service involving aircraft control, as well as comparisons between aviation and automobile safety. The meeting concluded with a ceremonial presentation of presidential memorabilia to the union representatives.","topics":["PATCO","Aviation safety","Labor relations","Presidential diplomacy","Nixon military service"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-07T23:46:49.650Z"},"topicSlugs":["patco","aviation-safety","labor-relations","presidential-diplomacy","nixon-military-service"],"audioDurationSec":358,"audioFiles":[{"file":"791-005.mp3","bytes":8592821,"durationSec":357.96,"bitrate":192039,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:58.287Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/791-005.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/791-005","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/791/conversation-791-005","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}