Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 17:29:13

There is a new book coming out this month (April 2002) by Mitchell B. Lerner. Title: The Pueblo Incident. I received notice via amazon.com Just wanted to pass this information along. Sincerely Frank Bullard

Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2002 07:25:44

To Whom It May Concern: I am creating a web site on the USS PUEBLO for a college Diplomatic History course. Your site is great and I was able to learn a great deal more than I already knew. Furthermore, I am requesting your permission to use various images and facts about the incident that I got from your site. I understand that your site is copyrighted and I will certainly cite my source appropriately. I would appreciate your cooperation and authorization on this matter. Additionally, I have noticed the link to the Tourist Attraction site. Do you have any detailed information on how they transported the PUEBLO around the peninsula and a specific time that they did it? Everywhere I have looked has pretty vague and sometimes conflicting information. Thanks in advance, Scott Greer

Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 18:11:31

I recently made a trip to North Korea with the Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii(CILHI) to recover the remains of US service members lost during the Korea War. While I was there, I was able to visit the National War Museum in Pyongyang. They had the Pueblo's SOP and other various logs and instructions on display in a glass case. I got a couple pictures of them, along with a semi-blurry picture of the Pueblo docked in the river in the heart of Pyongyang. The picture of the Pueblo you have on your site is much better than the one I have, but I took if from a bridge on the river, so you can get a different angle on it. Please reply if you would like me to scan them and send them to you. Thanks you. Respectfully, David Jennings Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 16:01:34

Hi, I just discovered your web site and it really brings back memories. I was stationed in Kamiseya, Japan during the capture of our ship. I was a "A" brancher and worked in the "R" branch division. I was in the office when a R brancher ran in and screamed that there was a SOS coming in. It was the ship transmitting on voice. I guess they secured the transmitt button down as I could listen to the shells coming into the ship. I listened as they were screaming and destroying the equipment. I believe I was the second person to hear the SOS. SGT Chicca and Hammond were assigned to my division. During the time of the capture I also went to DF to get a positive fix on there location and they were indeed in international waters. If you have the oppurtunity please say Hi to CT1 Peppard for me as I spent two weeks with him at Sand Point, Seattle. Michael J. Whitman mnswhitman@msn.com Coupeville, WA

Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 09:04:

I greatly appreciate your reply and the information you have sent me. Your website has been a great help to my research. I understand that emails are not the easiest to keep up with and reply to. I also thank you for forwarding my letter to the crew. I am looking forward to receiving the different replies. I wish you luck with your exchange student. Thank you very much, Hannah Clemons

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2002 16:26:47

My name is Donald Witmer (joltjocky) CTO2 I was stationed on Adak Alaska when the Pueblo was taken. Will never forget the night someone waking me up and telling me to get over to the comm space now. I was the watch petty officer 2nd class in charge of one of the sections. (I was the only section senior petty officer in our dorm at the time). I went over to the comm space and everyone there was watching the teletype for messages patched through Kami Seya Japan. I remember someone was typing from the Pueblo comm room and asking where help was. I guess the North Koreans tore down the antennas or killed power to cut them off. It would have taken them some time to get into the comm rooms. I will never understand why the Navy did not do anything while they were towing the ship into port. I think that was when the "war" in South Vietnam was lost also. If our government would not fight for one of our own ships then how could we ever win a "war" in a foreign country? Our division officer was saying at the time we will probably be going to war with North Korea. I was due to get out soon and did not want to spend any more time on Adak. I remember reading about someone saying the United States was going to send some people in and get the ship out. That would have been suicide. The North Koreans were expecting us to try something like that. From the information we were getting there was a large buildup of force when the Pueblo was in port. When we left them take the ship into there port with no show of force all was lost. Anything after that may have started a war. I was very familiar with the crypto gear. I use to established communications with the USS Banner (Pueblo sister ship) when I was stationed in Kami Seya, Japan. Communications were not very reliable depending upon atmospheric conditions and numerous other factors. The USS Pueblo and USS Banner would run silent when traveling and would established communications at set times and locations. So that must have been a mess when trying to establish communications when they were being captured. I would guess that they were transmitting in the clear that is why the call signs did not make sense to some people. CTO branch personnel had different message addresses on encrypted massages. Another subject; I will never understand how someone could knowingly land a plane in China, stay one week, and come back a hero when they had a choice of ditching the crippled plane in the water and having a chance of being rescued. When the Pueblo was "captured", personal "tortured", and they came back a year later treated like criminals. They both did the same job. I understand that if I would have joined the Navy three months ahead of time I may have been on the USS Pueblo. I was stationed in Kami Seya Japan from 1965 to 1967. Adak from 1967 to 1968. I was Also in Kama Seya during the big fire in the radio CTR branch shack. Our comm space did not burn, it was underground. The building that burned was made out of wood. They had no means of escape; just one staircase and that may be where the fire started. I remember burning the paper tape for the teletype machines from our comm space in the building that burned down, on the ground floor beside the staircase and the exhaust pipe getting red hot from the heat. The pipe was just stuck out through the wall with a crock around it. One person got burned when it flashed back from the stove and burned the hair off his arm. We reported the incident and I understand at the time the person that approved the stove again is one that was killed in the fire. I often wondered it that incinerator caused the fire. I think it was listed as an electrical fire, I am an electrician and when there is not a known cause, it is electrical. It did not take the Navy long to get back on the air. They brought in tractor-trailers with radio gear installed and batched the antennas to it. When they built the new building all the exit doors could be pushed open to get out. I remember everyone had to make one line outside the fenced area and search for messages that my have not burned. I will never forget the burned bodies being carried out on stretchers. Donald Witmer CTO2

Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 10:21:49 EDT

Sir: I have a lighter with the inscription "Presented By CDR "Pete" Bucher Commanding Officer U.S.S. Pueblo Ager-2" Any information regarding this item would be appreciated. Thank You. Mike Novak

Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 10:00:13

Hi, Good to hear from you. I hope all is well on your end. I thought you might want to know, and perhaps even share with the rest of the Pueblo group, that after much ado, my book is finally out. Details can be found at the University Press of Kansas website (http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu), or at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0700611711/qid=1015001491/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8 _ Best, Mitch

Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 10:59:28 –

I served aboard the USS Banner AGER-1 when it was still AKL-25. I went thru the renovation in Bremerton with the Banner and left it in late 1966. I remember us being surrounded by junks and other vessels off the coast of North Korea in late 1966. The captain set repel boarder watches and called for help, at dawn the next morning you could see the top mast on a destroyer on the horizon, then the boats all scattered. I left the Banner and went to river boats in Vietnam, where i was wounded in 1968. My name and e-mail is Rex Catron

Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 15:15:06

I found your web site because of this article. In case you did not already see this. I think it is a bit disturbing. I was born in 1968 and honestly never new of this incident. I was surprised and shocked. Do you recommend any books on this subject? Thank you, Ivan Correa

Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 09:32:24 –

What would you say regarding this statement: "Classified Information Has Never Been Stolen By Force. The most common motive for betraying the United States is financial gain." ====== I contend that the North Koreans took classified information (at that time) by force when they boarded the USS Pueblo. The above statement used to be part of a security briefing. What say you? ====== Thank you for the website. There are lots of other sites out there since our security officer first made that statement. * sincerely, * Rich Burns, NSWC/Corona

Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 19:54:57

Last July I sent this to Dan Hearn (LTV Sod Hut contractor) as he was looking for background on the destruct provisions provided Pueblo. In case you have not run across this data, it is yours to use as you see fit. Dan can be contacted at - - - I was stationed at the Naval Security Group Headquarters at the time Pueblo/Palm Beach was being converted for Intel collection. Lt. Dick Yeck of G-50 staff came to me during my lunch hour and ask if I would look over the LTV proposal for the Sigint system for Pueblo/Palm Beach. I looked it over and returned it to his desk with a note attached saying "I would NOT buy this for all the tea in China", not knowing that the work was underway. Needless to say, Dick was really upset when he saw my note and came to see me for an explanation/details. I went over with him as to what I saw were the problems. Dick called NavShips/REWSON and ask their contract manager (Dan Priest) if things were being done per the proposal. REWSON said that it was basically being done per the proposal. Dick told them that we had some serious problems, mainly with Human Factors issues, and recommended that work be put on hold and that I meet with REWSON at Bremerton on the ship to work out a recovery plan. During my visit of the Pueblo/Palm Beach I noted problems beyond the scope of the LTV proposal/Sigint system. One memorable problem I saw was the back yard garbage incinerator installed in the open on the signal bridge for use to burn classified material. The REWSON manager (Dan) had personally selected the incinerator from a local hardware store. I made the observation that it was inappropriate for even routine destruction/burning of classified material let alone emergency destruction of all classified paper. I said that I saw the following problems with what was installed: (a) It was outside, exposed to the elements where winds/rain could impede destruction or loss of papers blown away; (b) It was outside were in an emergency destruction situation, opposing forces would likely attempt to prohibit destruction; (c) It was a natural draft incinerator and it would take an excessive amount of time to even routinely destroy loosely packet burn bags of single crumpled sheets, let alone bound documents/stacked sheets; (d) It had no screen on the short stack to keep unburnt classified material from being drawn out and going with the wind. I recommended that they install a forced draft and diesel fuel fired incinerator that would be inside and exhaust thru the existing engine room stack. It could be installed on a short platform deck built over the ladder to the engine room, accessed by tilt-down decking that would stow against the face of the incinerator when not loading/using the unit. REWSON said they didn't have the money and besides it violated the direction they got from CNO to build it like the Banner. Thermite was discussed for equipment but the opinion was that it was to dangerous to store and use. The results of my trips to Pueblo and LTV Greenville should be available from the SecGru Historian via the "Freedom of Information Act". I can't recall how many pages my first trip report was but it was at least 4 pages of stilted observation/recommendations. The reports should be in G-50 archives plus I sent my originator copy to the NSG Historian when I retired in '76. They were classified but no higher than s/hvcco. I was always amazed that the Court of Inquiry never surfaced the subject/trip reports nor contacted me for at least an interview. Anew book is out, making use of declassified Johnson administration documents.Book is by Mitchell B. Lerner, "The Pueblo Incident" - A Spy Ship and the Failure of American Foreign Policy, published by University Press of Kansas. Available amazon.com for $24.47. I've only gotten thru 4 chapters but so far it is a great addition to your history. Regards - John Arnold, LCDR(Ret)

Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 20:59:32

Bob Hammons is a Navy veteran our age. I attended High School with him the early fifties. I should imagine you have already seen this or something comparable/ With every good wish from Oregon and Jim H

Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 3:59

North Korea Thursday, May 2, 2002 North Korea Woos Tourists With Stolen U.S. Ship "In an attempt to raise hard currency, North Korea is for the first time encouraging tourists. One key drawback: an absence of tourist attractions," United Press International reported today. So what's a commie to do to lure that much-reviled but coveted lucre? Well, the North Koreans are touting tours of a stolen trophy of the Cold War: the U.S.S. Pueblo. North Korean troops boarded the ship Jan. 23, 1968, and held the 88-man crew hostage for 11 months. "The Pueblo was first the U.S. Navy ship to be hijacked on the high seas by a foreign power since the American campaign against the Barbary corsairs 150 years ago," UPI said. Regarded as a "sacred trophy" in the fight against freedom, the Pueblo is on display on the Taedong River in lovely downtown Pyongyang. Yes, this is the very same rabidly anti-American country that your tax dollars are supporting even to this day ...

Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 07:49:17

Dear PVA I would like to confirm the postal address for the PVA so that I can post photographs taken this month in Pyongyang. Thank you John Clearwater

Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 03:35:22 –

During the Pueblo incident I was serving in Vietnam. All the Navy guys that I knew (not just CT's) wanted to leave Nam and head for Korea. It was frustrating for us not to be able to help. Paul "Ike" Eisenhauer CTRC, USN Ret.

Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 12:57:13

Can you please tell me the name of the skipper of the Pueblo at the time of the incident? Thank You Joe

Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 16:21:

My name is James Harrington, and I live in New Hampshire. The capture of the U.S.S. Pueblo in 1968 by the North Korean's , affected me in a great way. I was only 21 years old back then. A young high school student by the name of Harry Resell, and myself formed a "Remember the Pueblo Committee". We both lived in Quincy, Massachusetts at the time. We sold bumper stickers for twenty-five cents each, that had the words: "Remember the Pueblo" on them. We had orderd them from some group in another state. I wrote a letter to the local newspaper, The Patriot Ledger, informing its readers about our group. The mothers of crew members Stephan Harris, and Ralph McClintock called me after having read my letter. They asked me how many members there were in our group, and I replied that there were only two, Harry and myself. This touched them very much. Mrs. Harris invited me to her home and we chatted for quite awhile. She gave me some clipping and flyers from a rally that "The Remember the Pueblo Committee" of San Diago, California sponsored. We discussed the apathy that was the norm in the New England press at that time. I called several Catholic churhes in my area, and asked the priest if they could please ask the parishioners to pray for the crew members of the Pueblo. This request was ignored, much to my dissatisfaction I must admit. One priest from Saint Mary's church in West Quincy, Massachusetts, actually had the Moxie to ask me the following, after I asked ihim if they could request their parishioners to pray for the crew members of the Pueblo. He asked me, "Why???Do you really believe they are in dire straights?" If lanquishing in North Korean prison cells for eleven months, isn't in dire straights, I don't know how bad a situation you must be in, in order to have the members of the Catholic faith (of which I once was myself), pray for you. I had about two hundred "Remember The Pueblo" buttons made. They were quite handsome, having an actual photo of the Pueblo in the center, surrounded by the words: Remember The Pueblo. I had contacted the Department of the Navy, and was planning a ralley at Fanuail Hall in Boston. But thank God, the crew was returned to our country and therefore I didn't have to continue with that plan. I kept a scrapbook regarding anything I could find about the Pueblo, which I still have. Sincerely, James F. Harrington

Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 13:43:

My pastor and the superintendent of my children's school the Rev. Dr. Paul D. Lindstrom was a while back diagnosed with a form of liver cancer and is now at its final terminal stage. Rev. Lindstrom was the leader of an organization here in Illinois called the "National Remember the Pueblo Committee". I understand he and this organization were effective in bringing the plight of the Pueblo and her crew before the public. He meet with the then Illinois senators Dirksen and Percy. Rev. Lindstrom eventually meet with the Sec of State Daen Rusk. My hope was that the Navy would acknowledge Rev. Lindstrom's role and provide some form of appreciation. If you can help me in this matter or provide me guidence as to who to contact I would greatly appreciate it. Sincerely, Daniel E.Glad

Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 14:00:

Gentlemen: My name is John McMichael, during the Vietnam War I was a Counterintelligence Agent in the Army. I am considering writing a book about the relationship between the John Walker spy case and the seizure of the Pueblo. I have heard that their were several Caucasian on the dock in North Korea when the Pueblo was brought in. If this is true, or if any of the crew saw Caucasians boarding the ship after the crew was taken off, I would like to hear from you. Thanks, John McMichael

Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 10:08:11

My name is Katherine Newman and I am doing a school project on the Pueblo Incident. I think it would be great to have either one of you to give me any information that you feel is important for me to mention in my presentation. And if you are a veteran, maybe you could send me something like a signed letter or just a tape recording of a personal first hand account. I am very interested in the Pueblo Incident and even after this project is over, I would still like to continue learning about it. Thank you so much for anything you fell you can do for my school. Sincerely, Katherine D. Newman

Date: Fri, 24 May 2002 13:05:34

Hello: I am looking for a former shipmate Larry Strickland who served on the USS Pueblo and USS Tang SS 563. My name is Don Hill from Bainbridge Island, WA. I served with Larry on the USS Tang from May 1972 to 1975. Larry was one of my SEA DADDY's when I was a tender sea pup back then, Larry was a First Class Electrician

Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 12:40:

I have known of the Pueblo incident and had heard that someone had put out in Morse code the word torture with his eyelids in a piece of film of the captives. Is this a true story? I see on the site that some did indeed put out hand signals in a photo. Yours, Bruce Nickerson

Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 06:31:23

Hello all, I will be leaving for a tour of North Korea in about a week, and part of the tour includes a visit to the Pueblo which is now docked on the river in Pyongyang. Apparently, the guy that gives the guided tour on the Pueblo is the actual commander that was involved in its capture! I am not sure exactly how much of it I will be allowed to photograph, but I am willing to try and accomodate special requests for pictures (angles, parts of the interior etc.) that I could then e-mail to veterans or anyone else who might be interested. Is this something that would be of any interest to your members, or do you all have pretty much all of the pictures that you need? If interested, please feel free to contact me Nicholas Mecury

Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 11:04:26 –

Hi Crew, and Officers of the Pueblo, I was with you, the full year, of your great suffering. I prayed for all of you, and my small group of Imjin Scouts. We operated at night. The North Korean propaganda speakers could be heard for miles, at night. I would hear stories of the Pueblo, and its crew! You were never out of our minds! I would shoot down propaganda balloons, with NK Pueblo stories! In 1967-68, I was a young Infantry Warrior, the 2nd Indian Head Division, serving as an Imjin Scout (a form of internal special ops), in the Korean DMZ. Many incidents had been occurring that year (the North Korean Agents, and NK Regular Army, killed 23 in my Unit), along the DMZ, and adjacent Imjin River zones. My squad, of five, three Americans, and two KATUSAs, were brutally, attacked that summer. My three Americans were killed by machine gunning, their faces out, and gutted their bodies, with hand grenade insertions, under their flack jackets. We could hardly id the bodies. In the same month, the North Koreans decided to send a large, 12 man, espionage team, to assassinate the President of South Korea. My unit went into the highest order of "Search and Destroy", and moved into the civilian zones of the Imjin River, and civilian South Korea. We were to search and capture, the North Korean assassins. It was a long two weeks, running up mountains, with ice and snow. Sleeping on the ground, eating on the run. It became extremely, cold. Our 113 military vehicles, froze up, infantry movement became slow. I got the flu, but kept going, in the snow. Days passed, my battalion, eventually, engaged some of the North Korean Agents, they fired back, we fired, they retreated. We called in mortar, we put them on the run! They were out of their mission. We would not let them get near the Presidential Palace. The remainder of the Assassin Team was intercepted by my flanks unit, the South Korean National police and Army. The senior NK assassin, surrendered, rather than die at the Presidential estate. We heard rumors that these incidents (the Pueblo, the Assassination Incident), might trigger World War III. About this time, President Johnson had made comments, that the "Pueblo Incident" and other NK incidents, was commensurate with an "act of War" retaliation. As a consequent of the above incidents, my CO had told us to get ready, and write home for the last time. My unit was being considered for the combat unit that would infiltrate the DMZ North border: get the Pueblo crew out, and seize our ship, with a Navy liaison special ops group. I wrote my last letter, to my family. We waited... As politics goes, the American Congress decided against force. We would use diplomacy. A year passed. I was one of the American Soldiers, that provided bridge security, the day, you were released. When your Army buses, drove over the famous "Freedom Bridge", my fellow soldiers, and I, gave you a military salute, and cheer! It was a great feeling for all us, I had lost 23 good friends, that year, it was good to see our POW's come home! Hope your civilian life has been successful with family and career endeavors. Sincerly, Cpl Skip Kelley Imjin Scout Emeritus

Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 09:59:52

I am trying to contact Cmdr Pete Bucher Skipper of the Pueblo, as i was one of the first to use the press to help him get the truth out on his situation soon after he returned from N Korea. He came up to Salem Oregon and dedicated the Boys Club library, in honor of his fallen shipmate from Oregon. Have him contact Dean Schlosser

Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 20:21:21 –

Dear sirs, I have been enjoying the site very much. I was only about 4 years old when the ship was taken, but I remember seeing a movie starring Hal Holbrook (I think) about the incident. Do you happen to know the name of it? I would like to see if I can locate it so I can see it again. I remember the movie very distinctly, and certain scenes have stuck with me. I also read Capt. Bucher's book. On another question, did you ever get the POW medals you deserved? Thank you for your help. Thank you for serving our country. God bless. Brian La Croix Pastor, Aberdeen Wesleyan Church

Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 12:23:33 –

My father, Capt James E. Keys, USN, was Cdr. Bucher's Navy appointed attorney during the Pueblo Court of Inquiry. He passed a way in 1998...one of the things we always disagreed on was his position as Cdr Bucher's defense attorney. Part of this, I'm sure, stemmed from my own experiences over a 27 year Navy career, which included four separate commands at sea. I would like to contact Cdr Bucher and discuss with him his perception of how well my dad defended him. I would also like to discuss my own perceptions, and find out if they could be wrong. Is there a way to contact Pete? Jim Keys LTE for Future Surface Combatant Programs

Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 14:47:13

If any of the guest comments from 1 January through 24 March 2002 have ever been printed out by anyone, suggest you solicit copy and scan back into computer OR ask submitters for that period to resubmit their comments. Those missing days are important to our nations history. Keep up the great site and God Bless the Pueblo crew. John Arnold, Lcdr, USN(Ret)

Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2002 00:19:39

I was stationed with the 508th US Army Security Agency Group in Korea at the time. It is possible that I was the first American (not actually on the ship) to find out exactly how she was captured. If you are interested in any of this background information including info on our activity in regards to the Pueblo, please let me know and I will be glad to reply. Rod Patterson