Traveling with Richard M. Nixon

Time in Office: January 1969 to August 1974
Terms: One +
Birthday: January 9, 1913
Birth Place: Yorba Linda, California
Date of Death: April 22, 1994
Place of Death: Cornell Medical Center, Manhattan, New York
Buried: Yorba Linda, California

Notes:

~ An avid walker
~ Played several musical instruments
~ “President” of his 8th grade class
~ Won numerous debating awards
~ Wrote the bestselling book “Six Crises” (1962)
~ Served 8 years as Vice President
~ First incumbent President to visit the People’s Republic of China
~ Established the Environmental Protection Agency
~ Wrote 10 books during his retirement

The 37th President of the United States, Richard Milhouse Nixon was born in a small farmhouse built by his father but was raised mainly in nearby Whittier, California.

Having moved and then transferring schools in his early years, Nixon graduated 3rd in his class from Whittier High School and was offered a grant to Harvard. He was unable to accept due to family responsibilities and instead attended Whittier College – graduating in 1934. Richard received a full scholarship to Duke University School of Law (North Carolina,) where he graduated near the top of his class in 1937.

Nixon had hoped to work for the FBI but instead found himself practicing law back in Whittier. Cast in a local theater production, Nixon met Thelma “Pat” Ryan whom he married in 1940. In 1942 Nixon accepted a job in Washington, DC and later in that same year he joined the US Navy – serving stateside and in the South West Pacific theater. He resigned from the Navy in 1946.

Most of the next 30+ years Nixon’s life was totally involved in politics. His political career began with his election to the US House of Representatives – January 1947 to December 1950. He was then elected US Senator from California – December 1950 to January 1953. Later in January 1953 he became the 36th Vice President of the United States – a office he held until January 1961.

From 1961 to 1967, Nixon traveled to Europe with his family, meeting with leaders in an unofficial capacity. He moved his family to New York where he was senior partner in the law firm Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander. Nixon had stated that he was not interested in a run for President and seemed disillusioned by politics but by the end of 1967 he had changed his mind and by January 20, 1969 he was President. He was re-elected in 1972 and impeached August 1974. Nixon is the only President ever forced to resign while in office.

Nixon – “Traveling Man”

It gets more difficult to cover Presidential travel now that Air Force One and air travel are the main means of transportation. Current era Presidents, unlike Jefferson and Jackson who got around either on horseback, by carriage, or by slow, ocean-going vessels – can and do visit several countries in the same week. As example, President Nixon visited the following countries in the year 1969 alone:

~ Belgium ~ UK ~ Italy ~ Germany ~ France ~ Indonesia ~ Phillipines ~ Thailand
~ Viet Nam ~ Pakistan ~ Romania ~ Mexico

In 1970, Nixon visited:

~Mexico ~Italy ~Yugoslavia ~Spain ~UK ~Ireland ~France ~Portugal ~Bermuda
~China ~Canada ~Austria ~USSR ~Iran ~Poland ~Iceland ~Egypt ~Saudi Arabia
~Israel ~Jordan ~Belgium

The purpose of most Presidential travel is State or “official visits,” or to attend memorial services for foreign dignitaries. Use of the radio call sign “Air Force One” began in 1953 when a plane carrying President Dwight Eisenhower had a near miss with a commercial plane using the a prior, similar call sign. “Air Force One” is now notification to air traffic control as a plane transporting the President of the United States.

Flying Air Force One, which Nixon named “The Spirit of ’76″ is now “standard procedure” for US Presidents. One of the two planes used during this timeframe was a Boeing 707 – tail number “26000″ which also flew John F. Kennedy to Dallas in 1963.

The U. S. S. Sequoia, placed in service in 1920, has been used by Presidents including Nixon – who played the piano while onboard. The Sequoia is docked near Washington, DC and is open for tours and even rentals! The Sequoia was possibly the first handicapped-accessible boat since it was outfitted to provide wheelchair access for Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Vacations and time off were spent at Camp David, Maryland. President Nixon used Camp David as much as his 5 predecessors combined. Nixon also spent much time at the “Florida White House” which was his private compound on Key Biscayne, Florida he visited more than 50 times while in office between 1969 and 1974.

“La Casa Pacifica” (The Pacific House), which overlooked the beach in San Clemente, California was also known as the “Western White House.” The home is now a private residence and closed to the public.

Time magazine reported that some $10.5 million tax dollars went in to the “refurbishment” of these two estates. The Key Biscayne property had a floating helicopter pad…and you can now rent it yourself…maybe for your next vacation?

Nixon suffered a severe stroke while at his home in New Jersey, April 1994. He died April 22, 1994 at the age of 81. His funeral was attended by 5 living Presidents. Nixon is buried next to his wife Pat – who had died in 1993, at the Nixon Library and Birthplace. He was survived by his two daughters, Tricia and Julie.

Links:

Nixon Library & Birthplace
An essay on Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon – The Politician
Nixon’s Resignation Speech

Prior President: Lyndon B. Johnson
Next: Gerald R. Ford

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