During the era of the Vietnam War, the USS Pueblo (AGER-2) was overtaken by hostile forces. Due to America’s deep involvement in the conflict and concerns over escalating tensions, it was decided to let the ship’s crew manage the crisis on their own. Enduring harsh conditions at the hands of their North Korean captors for 11 months, they eventually negotiated their release and returned home.
Nevertheless, Pueblo remains in enemy hands to this day.
USS Pueblo (AGER-2) prior to becoming a spy ship
The Banner-class cargo ship FP-344/FS-344, originally commissioned in 1944 by the US Army, commenced operations in April 1945 under the supervision of the US Coast Guard. Throughout her service, she was dedicated to training civilians destined for Army duty, a role she faithfully fulfilled until her retirement from active service in 1954.
After more than a decade, the vessel underwent many modifications and was redesignated as USS Pueblo, AKL-44. Her role shifted to that of a light cargo carrier, with subsequent changes enabling her to serve as an environmental research platform under the AGER-2 designation.
In this new capacity, the Pueblo‘s mission expanded to include intelligence gathering for both the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and the National Security Agency (NSA).
USS Pueblo (AGER-2) is deployed to North Korea
By 1967, the USS Pueblo had completed shakedown training and was prepared for her inaugural espionage mission. Departing on January 5, 1968, the ship’s mission was to collect intelligence on both North Korea and the Soviet Navy. Eleven days later, Pueblo reached the 42nd parallel, ready to patrol along the North Korean coast while maintaining a distance of at least 13 nautical miles from the shoreline.
On January 23, 1968, North Korea launched an attack on the Pueblo. Detected by a submarine chaser, the spy ship received an ultimatum to stand down or face fire. Attempting to turn away, Pueblo, being significantly slower than the North Korean vessel, couldn’t evade the threat.
Swiftly, the enemy submarine chaser was joined by four torpedo boats, an additional chaser and two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21s. Armed with only a few handguns and a pair of M2 Brownings, Pueblo and her crew were ill-prepared for the assault. Nonetheless, they resisted allowing the North Koreans to board.
North Korea captures the USS Pueblo (AGER-2)
When escorted to the port city of Wonsan, the crew destroyed as much sensitive material as possible. In their efforts to dispose of top-secret documents, Pueblo‘s speed was reduced, inviting punishment. The North Koreans retaliated with a 57 mm cannon and several machine guns, causing damage to the vessel and claiming the life of one of the 83 sailors onboard, Duane Hodges. As well, two others, including US Marine Corps Sgt. Bob Chicca, were injured by enemy fire.
Ultimately, the North Koreans successfully boarded the ship. Each crew member was blindfolded, had their hands tied and faced physical abuse upon setting foot on land.
American sailors were held captive for months
During the USS Pueblo‘s attack, the crew successfully established radio contact with US forces stationed in South Korea. Chicca later recounted, “The last conversations we got over the radio were that help was on the way, and it obviously wasn’t. I could not believe that we would be abandoned out there the way we were.”
Despite assurances of assistance from a squadron of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs, they never arrived. Consequently, the 82 crew members were captured and endured 11 months of torture by their captors. Chicca reflected, “We were an experiment that was deemed, I don’t know whether it would be a failure, but it certainly didn’t work.”
After enduring months of psychological torment, the North Koreans eventually coerced a confession from commanding officer Lloyd Bucher. He admitted to intruding on the country’s territorial waters and committing hostile acts, but only under the threat that each crew member would be killed one by one if he refused.
Signing the three A’s document
As aforementioned, the United States was embroiled in the Vietnam War at the time of USS Pueblo‘s capture. Concerned about the potential escalation of tensions with North Korea, American officials opted for a diplomatic solution to resolve the crisis. Nearly a year after the vessel’s seizure, both country’s reached a mutually satisfactory agreement, ensuring the safe return of her crew.
On December 23, 1968, US Army Maj. Gilbert Woodward signed a document known as the three A’s agreement, written by North Korean authorities. This agreement required the US acknowledge wrongdoing, issue an apology and commit to preventing similar incidents in the future.
Following this, the crewmen were released and returned to the US, while Pueblo remained under North Korean control. Initially showcased in Wonsan and Hŭngnam, the vessel was eventually relocated to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in Pyongyang.
USS Pueblo (AGER-2) is still held captive
Upon capture by North Korea, the USS Pueblo was found to contain 10 encryption machines and thousands of highly classified documents, all of which were seized by the North Korean government. As such the incident stands as one of the most significant intelligence losses in modern history.
Although held in captivity, the US Navy maintains technical ownership of the spy ship, making her one of the service’s longest-serving vessels, as she remains officially active. Converted into a tourist attraction, the vessel undergoes routine maintenance, including a recent paint job commemorating the anniversary of the Korean War.
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Following former President Donald Trump’s designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism in 2017, survivors and families of deceased sailors from Pueblo seized the opportunity to sue the country under the Foreign Immunities Act. In 2021, they were granted $2.3 billion in compensation. However, the method or likelihood of receiving this compensation remains uncertain.