Posted on 03/31/2007 10:27:45 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
N.Korea Told to Return Captured U.S. Navy Boat
Former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan asked North Korea to return the USS Pueblo to the U.S. during his visit to Pyongyang early March, a member of his entourage said Thursday. North Korea hijacked the U.S. Navy ship off the coast of Wonsan in January 1968, claiming it had crossed into North Korean waters.
According to the aide, after looking at the Pueblo, which is on display near the Taedong River, the former prime minister told officials of the North’s Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation that the return of the captured ship would be a chance to improve U.S.-North Korean relations. North Korean officials apparently were not wholly averse to the idea and they appeared willing to report it to their seniors, the aide said.
The proposal has resulted in speculation that Lee’s remarks after his return to Seoul that North Korea may take “concrete action” to build trust with the U.S. refer to the return of the vessel. The captured naval ship was moved from Wonsan to the Taedong River area in 1999. Washington has been demanding the return of the ancient ship.
Still this is not a sure thing. They might just as well keep it. It is a valuable propaganda tool for N. Korean regime. The following is the latest picture of USS Pueblo from N. Korean media:
 |
| High school graduates from Pyongchon District, Pyongyang, attending a pledge rally in front of USS Pueblo on display at Taedong River (From N. Korea's Central TV / Yonhap) |
Ping!
Why ask, just go and get it.
"We should have bombed the Pueblo out of existence decades ago."
We should have supported CDR. Butcher long ago - and prevented this in the first place - now we have the Brits and Iran.
For those of you who do not know - the Pueblo carried the first SATNAV equipment - the stuff you now use to navigate from house to house with - they knew where they were - outside of NKorean waters - same toys our SSBN's used back then to establish a firing base location. Only 12 birds up then.
I know - I used them to position oil rigs and do geodesic survey work after they were partially declassified post Pueblo capture.. Nova and PDP computers and ATT dual channel Sat receivers.
A little respect for the Pueblo please. Let's git her back!
Right on the money. Boucher was made LBJ and McNamara's scape goat. Boucher raised concerns about the ships E.D. capabilities as well. It's darn near impossible to scuttle a U.S. Navy ship. It's even harder when you don't have the means to do so nor destroy classified material in a reasonable time frame.
Although the man IIRC has since passed the Navy owes Boucher a major apology and the history books need to condemn all responsible for ordering that ship there to start with knowing it was a trap.
Two ships within months of each other under attack. One Ships Captain gets rewarded the other a Court Martial. Both situations were likely a direct result of the doings of one Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Ya know ... I was in Nam when this happened - and I went balistic. CDR Butcher died a few years ago - in So. Cal. I don't know why but this one sticks in my craw after all these years.
Holy crap, they still have it, don't they? I guess before we knock the Brits too hard about their sailors in captivity, we'd better recall a few events in our past.
Woah! Where did you come from?
ROGER THAT!
Chia Head should die slowly and painfully. The body of his dad should be thrown out of his class coffin, where it is on display inside his billion-dollar mausoleum.
I still remember the report of him throwing his coffee cup across the deck when he became aware of the NK gunboat bearing down on him.
LOL been here a spell. I remember it. I remember LBJ making a fool of himself every night also by making empty threats. I was 11 at the time.
"I was 11 at the time."
Good head on your shoulders - and then kids have a way of sorting BS out.
LBJ - ahwwww don't get me started
His worse nightmare and then a reality with a virtually undefendable ship. I've read the sites accounts. They did the best they could with what they had to do with as far as prolonging a takeover so papers etc could be burned etc.
" I guess before we knock the Brits too hard about their sailors in captivity, we'd better recall a few events in our past."
No sh*t!
OK - I'm going to rant - the support he had - or lack of it was a carrier group armed with only NUKES on the deck!
Kind of like the Japaneese a/carriers caught with the wrong bomb load during a decisive battle in WWII - Ooops.
How in the hell did the Admiral in charge go for 100% Nuke on deck?
And LBJ took Cmdr Butcher to task? What an @ss.
Ahhhhh - whatever - Those who know - Know!
Thanks for the opportunity to vent - hung up inside for a long time ...
"They did the best they could with what they had to do"
RGR That - I don't know why this single incident touches me so - it grabbed me from the beggining to even now.
In refelection I look to congress and their wimpy attitude. We had better elect some Guys and Gals with some "huevos" or be ready to submit.
Yes it is a symbol, but a much greater one to them than to US.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.