USS Pueblo

Many readers will probably wonder what this is all about, but we old-timers will remember.

Forty of the 69 remaining crew members of the USS Pueblo will gather this week for a 40-year reunion.

Something I didn't know:

The Navy still lists the Pueblo as a commissioned warship, even though it's docked on the Taedong River in Pyongyang where North Korea holds it up as a symbol of resistance to American aggression. [Ohio State University historian Mitch] Lerner said there have been negotiations, some quite recent, to return the ship.

Here's the Pueblo, docked in Pyongyang:



Some of the story is here.

Addendum: The Pueblo was a "research" (i.e., spy) ship that was seized by the North Koreans, reportedly -- and so I believe -- on the high seas. The North Koreans claimed it had invaded their territorial waters. When they were released almost a year later, the officers and crew appeared before a Court of Inquiry. The Court recommended a court martial for Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, for not scuttling the ship and for allowing it to fall into North Korean hands, but Secretary of the Navy Chafee refused to let it go forward.

The ship was supposed to contain top secret "high tech" spy equipment. It's funny to think of that, now. I guess they had the very latest vacuum tubes?

Comments and corrections are welcome.