The Pan Am Podcast

Episode 21: White House Press Charters and Flying with Air Force One

Pan Am Museum Foundation Season 1 Episode 21

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In this episode we will be exploring Pan Am’s prestigious role in White House Press Charters travelling as part of the entourage of the President of United States and his aircraft, Air Force One. 

 Then we are joined by three special guests. 

Our first guest is Dwight Chapin who was a top aide to President Richard M. Nixon. He recently released a book called The President’s Man: The Memoirs of Nixon’s Trusted Aide. While at the White House, Mr. Chapin helped organize presidential travel and traveled with President Nixon on his historic trips to China and the Soviet Union. To learn more about Dwight Chapin and to purchase his book, visit: https://www.thepresidentsman.com

A special thank you to Jim Bryon and Joe Lopez of the Richard Nixon Foundation for connecting us with Mr. Chapin. We encourage you to visit the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California.

The 1970 hijackings and President Nixon's robust airport security program are mentioned in the interview. For more information, listen to "Episode 6: Hijackings and the Dawn of Global Terrorism."

Our second guest is Claire Graham who joined Pan Am in 1967 as a flight attendant and was a purser from 1968 to 1991 when she joined Delta Airlines. Claire was part of the White House Press Charter flight crew and flew most of the special trips from 1974 to 1991.

And last but not least, Captain John Marshall returns to the program to tell us his stories of flying press charters for the White House and flying alongside Air Force One.

You can visit and tour the two VC-137Cs (Boeing 707) that served as Air Force One at:

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio:
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil
This plane, SAM-26000, took President Kennedy to Dallas, Texas in 1963 and President Nixon to China in 1972.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California: https://www.reaganlibrary.gov (SAM-27000)

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A very special thanks to Mr. Adam Aron, Chairman and CEO of AMC and president of the Pan Am Historical Foundation and Pan Am Brands for their continued and unwavering support!

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