USS Pueblo

[Catmando]

I know this Pueblo subject has been commented on many different threads, but it deserves its own.

A young civilian friend of mine recently visited North Korea (yes, I know...but you need to ask her). She has posted many amazing pictures of NK on her personal blog. But her pictures and comments about the USS Pueblo are most interesting... and angering (not for her, but for the commies who still hold our still commissioned ship).

Check her USS Pueblo and North Korea pics here.

 

[Calculon]

Wow how did she manage to get into NK? I thought US citizens were barred from there.

Amazing pics though! North Korea is like exactly Stalinist 1950's and every dystopian novel's reality... on steroids

First time I saw pics of North Korea were from this Russian guy's blog: http://www.tema.ru/travel/north-korea-1/ (brush up on your Russian or use a translator). It's amazing that such a society still exists in the modern world

 

[Seafort]

Wow how did she manage to get into NK? I thought US citizens were barred from there.

We're not. It's just not encouraged.

I went a few feet into NK when I lived in SK. Going further would have required more time and more euros than I wanted to invest in one of our avowed enemies.

 

[PropStop]

Neat stuff! Thanks for sharing!

Makes me really want to take a trip to NK. Wouldn't that be a fun chit to route! I'm sure the command security manager would have kittens.

 

[Seafort]

Neat stuff! Thanks for sharing!

Makes me really want to take a trip to NK. Wouldn't that be a fun chit to route! I'm sure the command security manager would have kittens.

Bring lots of Euros. That is all they accept and they charge you an assload for everything.

RICH IMPERIALIST PIG DOGS, YOU CAN GIVE YOUR EUROS TO THE PEOPLE etc...

 

[Fog]

For you younger folks, events like the Pueblo capture are ancient history. But for people like Catmando, A4s and me, they're still here 'n now stuff. I had 3 classmates from OCS Newport who went to the USS Pueblo, Liberty & VQ-1. Fortunately, the guys on the Pueblo & Liberty are still alive. The classmate to VQ-1 went down with all the crew on his EC-121 a/c. The Pueblo mission was fubared from the start, as the US sent them close (but not into) NK territorial waters knowing they were defenseless w/out air cover and dealing w/ an erratic & reckless adversary. Then the USN hung Cdr Bucher & his crew out to dry when they were finally returned from NK. NOT one of our finer hours all around. FWIW.

 

[FlyinSpy]

NOT one of our finer hours all around. FWIW.

We had another one of our "not so fine hours" about 10 years ago, when the North Koreans moved the PUEBLO from Wonsan to Pyongyang, traveling around South Korea in international waters the whole way. Talk about a golden opportunity to reclaim this vessel - I have never been able to figure out whether they just "slipped one past the goalie" (we didn't know about it until after the fact) or whether the Clinton Administration decided they didn't want to make a fuss. The episode counts as either a significant operational/intelligence failure or an unconscionable lack of political will. :icon_rage

 

[Fog]

Mongo: Love those early-model NFO wings above your picture w/ the sheriff! Won't forget my initial disappointment when the current wings were intro'ed in '68: pilot wannabes (even if it was true).

 

[BusyBee604]

For you younger folks, events like the Pueblo capture are ancient history. But for people like Catmando, A4s and me, they're still here 'n now stuff. I had 3 classmates from OCS Newport who went to the USS Pueblo, Liberty & VQ-1. Fortunately, the guys on the Pueblo & Liberty are still alive. The classmate to VQ-1 went down with all the crew on his EC-121 a/c. The Pueblo mission was fubared from the start, as the US sent them close (but not into) NK territorial waters knowing they were defenseless w/out air cover and dealing w/ an erratic & reckless adversary. Then the USN hung Cdr Bucher & his crew out to dry when they were finally returned from NK. NOT one of our finer hours all around. FWIW.

As I mentioned on the NAS Alameda thread a few weeks ago, when I was on USS MIDWAY in early 1970, my Boss (Ship's Wpns Off.) and I went to the San Francisco Press Club to hear a speech by CDR Bucher. After the speech, he invited us to join him & his wife at the Buena Vista for a few Irish Coffees.
For about 2 hours he revisited the whole incident in great detail. It was shocking how had been hung out to dry... knowing that a CVA was within range & ready to launch, but was not allowed to help. That's all I can say, but we left with a great admiration for him and his crew, a feeling not shared by a majority of other Naval Officers & civilians of that era.
BzB

 

[Mumbles]

Great Thread!

 

[Catmando]

.....

.....For about 2 hours he revisited the whole incident in great detail. It was shocking how had been hung out to dry... knowing that a CVA was within range & ready to launch, but was not allowed to help. That's all I can say, but we left with a great admiration for him and his crew, a feeling not shared by a majority of other Naval Officers & civilians of that era.
BzB

Some years after his release, CDR Bucher used to sometimes stop by the NAS Miramar O'Club for a friendly game of Klondike. We enjoyed his company. But we never talked about the hell he and his crew had gone through, or how he was left hung out to dry.

When asked about why our O'Club, he said he was not very welcome at the Blackshoe clubs, and besides, he thought aviators were more fun to be around.

 

[scoolbubba]

When asked about why our O'Club, he said he was not very welcome at the Blackshoe clubs, and besides, he thought aviators were more fun to be around.

What a bunch of crap. This isn't a hit on shoes, this is a ding on anyone who would claim that the crew of the Pueblo came back with mud on their faces or their honor anything other than intact. Pre-SERE days...these guys made out the best they could to come home alive and with their dignity. The more I read, the more amazed I am at the callousness of the people who attempted to publicly humiliate the CO and the crew, turning CDR Bucher into the fall guy for one colossal f*** up.

 

[exhelodrvr]

Unfortunately, personal integrity too often falls by the wayside when someone thinks their career may be negatively impacted.

 

[Flash]

We had another one of our "not so fine hours" about 10 years ago, when the North Koreans moved the PUEBLO from Wonsan to Pyongyang, traveling around South Korea in international waters the whole way. Talk about a golden opportunity to reclaim this vessel - I have never been able to figure out whether they just "slipped one past the goalie" (we didn't know about it until after the fact) or whether the Clinton Administration decided they didn't want to make a fuss. The episode counts as either a significant operational/intelligence failure or an unconscionable lack of political will. :icon_rage

From what I know we just didn't know about the move. As someone who flew in that area often it would be pretty hard to pick it out of the crowd, those are probably the most crowded shipping lanes in the world with thousands fishing vessels and cargo ships plying their trade. I would have loved to have us board her an take her back but you know just as well as I do that we have better things to an eye on with the resources we have .

 

[Piperdriver]

Great story about the crew discrediting propaganda photos.

http://www.usspueblo.org/v2f/captivity/goodluck.html