Free Republic

PYONGYANG (AFP) - In North Korea's decades-long struggle with the United States, it is perhaps the Communist nation's favourite trophy. The USS Pueblo, a 53.8 metre-long (176.5 foot-long) ship the North Koreans seized in 1968 in a move that almost brought the nations to war, remains docked in one of the most prominent positions of the Taedong River in Pyongyang. Foreigners are brought to the Pueblo on government-controlled tour packages and media visits to recall the time North Korea, as a tourist pamphlet says, brought the "US imperialists ... to their knees". "Although the government of the US submitted the...

On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo a Navy intelligence vessel, is engaged in a routine surveillance of the North Korean coast when it is intercepted by North Korean patrol boats. According to U.S. reports, the Pueblo was in international waters almost 16 miles from shore, but the North Koreans turned their guns on the lightly armed vessel and demanded its surrender. The Americans attempted to escape, and the North Koreans opened fire, wounding the commander, Lloyd Bucher, and two others. With capture inevitable, the Americans stalled for time, destroying the classified information aboard while taking further fire. Several more...

Here (by URL listed below and by direct link, above) is the North Korean TV news in prime time for November 20, 2004 (local time). It contains an interesting, short report of a minor African delegation paying a visit that day to the seized U.S.S. Pueblo , captured by Communist North Korea in 1968 and now relocated by the enemy to a tourist spot on the Taedong River in the capital city of Pyongyang. Foreigners in North Korea are often taken to this American ship to see the damage to the craft from the attack, the interior of the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "The United States won the Cold War without ever firing a shot." It's a claim I've never understood. Though our victory was secured without a cataclysmic nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union, it took a terrible toll on American lives, limbs and treasure. From battlefields in Korea, Vietnam, Central America and the Middle East -- and in the shadowy world of espionage -- the Cold War was only "cold" to those who didn't fight in it. Last week, Cmdr. Lloyd "Pete" Bucher, USN, one of the most courageous of those "Cold Warriors," passed from this veil of...

<p>SAN DIEGO - Former Navy Cmdr. Lloyd "Pete" Bucher, who was commander of the USS Pueblo when the spy ship was captured by North Korea in 1968 and helped his crew survive nearly a year of abuse in captivity only to nearly face a court-martial, has died. He was 76.</p>

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Thirty-four years ago this weekend, the 82 surviving crew members of the Navy spy ship USS Pueblo shivered on their bunks in a North Korean prison. As they listened to screams of their shipmates enduring beatings and torture, they prayed for U.S. jets to scream in from the sky and begin the attack they were sure would come soon. "I was flabbergasted there was no response," said Bob Chicca, then a Marine Corps sergeant who worked as a translator in the Pueblo’s secret communications hut. "It took months for me to get that no [military] reaction was going to ...