Date: April 11, 1973
Time: 12:04 pm – 12:29 pm
Location: Oval Office
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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The President met with Roger E. Shields and Brig. Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft. The White House
photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.
Greetings
-Shield’s schedule
Seating
[Photograph session]
Shields’s work with Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Shield’s meetings with officials
-Briefings
-Defense Secretary
-Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
-President’s regard for Shields
-Previous releases of POWs
-Influence of peaeniks
-Cora Weiss
-Efforts of Shield’s staff
-POWs’ readjustment
-Emotional reaction
-Careers in military service
-President’s desire
-Assets to US military
-Senior officers
-Recruitment
-College campuses
-Writing of their experiences
-National defense
-Meritocracy of the military
-Military families
-Use of POWs as media figures
-Promotions
-Duties
-Peacetime service
-Civic groups
-Problems
-Emotional letdown
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-Psychiatric problems
-Divorce
-Inner strength
-Reactions to changes in US
-Education
-National War College
-Enthusiasm and Spirit
-Aspirations
Experiences
-Effect on nation
Patriotism
-Religion
-Media reaction
-Left wing
-Accusations of staged events
-Brainwashing
-Shields’s conversation with Capt. Jeremiah P. Denton, Jr. during trip from Hanoi
-Denton’s conduct
-Casualties
-Emotions
-Denton’s address to troops
-Statement preparation
-Shields’s first visit to Hanoi to bring out POWs
-Shield’s reaction
-Negotiations with North Vietnamese
-Procedures
-Consultation with doctor
-First sight of POWs
-Buses
-Shield’s reaction
-Interaction
-C-141 aircraft
-Ray Vohden
-Crutches
-Comportment of POWs
-Diginity
-Capt. [First name unknown] Devlin [?]
-“Return with Honor”
-Slogan in camp
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
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-POWs’ support for President
-Airforce Capt. Galand G. Kramer’s sign
-Determination
Missing in Action [MIA]
-North Vietnam’s cooperation
-Need for maximum US effort
-Public relations
-Strive for certainty for families
-President’s letter to families
-Suggested letter to families from Shields
-Shields’s conversation with President
-Confidence of families in President
-December 1972 bombing
-North Vietnam’s violations of peace agreement
-Conditions
-Numbers of MIAs compared to POWs
Shields’s background and education
-Tenure at Defense Department
-University of Texas
-University of Florida
-University of Virginia
-Defense Department
-Age
-President’s achievements at same age
-Election
-Hiss case
POWs
-Shields’s work
-Effect on nation
-Morale
-Patriotism
-Determination
-Importance of homecoming
Shields’s experience and background
-Economics
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. February-2011)
-Economics of Vietnamization
-Defense Department
-Terry Leary [?]
-POW and MIA work
Football
-Shields’s career
-University of Florida
-Tackle
-Injury
-1961 graduation
-Steve Spurrier
-Larry Lieberteller [?]
-Miami University
-Key Biscayne
-Florida State University
-Rivalry with University of Florida
-Quarterback
-Black players
Basketball
-University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA]
-Black players
Football
-University of Texas
-President’s call after victory
Presentation of gifts by President
-Marriage
-Golf
Shields and Scowcroft left at 12:29 pm.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. February-2011)