Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Alexander P. Butterfield Papers, White House Special Files, 1969-1973
6816360  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Overview
 
Table of contents What's This?
Description
During his years in the White House, Alexander Butterfield served on the staff of H.R. Haldeman and had the title of Deputy Assistant to the President. He was the chief administrative officer in the White House, and in this capacity he coordinated or supervised numerous White House operations. Although Butterfield had oversight responsibility for the installation and operation of the White House taping system, the files do not include information pertaining to it. The files do include references to his other administrative duties. For additional materials see White House Central Files: Staff Member and Office Files: Butterfield.
Background
Alexander Porter Butterfield was born in Pensacola, Florida on April 6, 1926. After attending the University of California, Los Angeles for two years, Butterfield left college to join the United States Navy as a seaman recruit. He eventually earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1956 at the University of Maryland and a Master of Science degree in 1967 at George Washington University. He married Charlotte Mary Maguire in 1949. Butterfield joined the Air Force in 1948 and went on to serve as an instructor at a U. S. Air Force base near Las Vegas, Nevada during the early part of the Korean War. Later, he served in Germany. He was Military Assistant to the Special Assistant of the Secretary of Defense in 1965 and 1966. In 1967-1969, Butterfield was the Senior Military Representative of the United States; Representative for Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Forces, Australia. During his time as a student at UCLA, Butterfield had become acquainted with H. R. Haldeman. He contacted Haldeman about job opportunities in the Nixon administration and eventually joined the White House staff as a Deputy Assistant to the President. He served the administration from 1969 until he left to work as an administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration in early 1973. On July 13, 1973, under direct questioning, Butterfield confirmed the existence of a voice-activated recording system in the Oval Office to Senate investigators and testified before the Senate investigation committee three days later. He resigned from the FAA on March 31, 1975. He then worked in the private business sector.
Extent
4 linear feet, 10 linear inches; 11 boxes
Restrictions
Most government records are in the public domain, however, this series includes commercial materials, such as newspaper clippings, that may be subject to copyright restrictions. Researchers should contact the copyright holder for information.
Availability
Collection is open for research. Some materials may be unavailable based upon categories of materials exempt from public release established in the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974.