The USS Pueblo Was Seized 50 Years Ago

North Korean soldiers check out the USS Pueblo in 2006. (KCNA via Korea News Service)

Steve Mollman, Quartz: 50 years ago North Korea seized a US spy ship and humiliated Washington

There’s only one active-duty vessel of the US Navy being held captive by a foreign government. It’s a North Korean tourist attraction.

On Jan. 23, 1968, North Korea attacked and seized the USS Pueblo, a barely armed spy ship that had been operating in international waters off its coast. Sent to gather intelligence on the secretive nation’s military, the vessel was unimpressive but did feature sensitive encryption equipment and intelligence documents. One American crewmember was killed in the seizure, and the 82 others were imprisoned and mistreated for nearly a year.

The 50th anniversary of ship’s capture serves as a reminder that relations between Washington and Pyongyang were tense long before Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un traded insults like “little rocket man” and “dotard.” It also offers lessons for today.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The battle for Khe Sanh started 50 years ago today. The USS Pueblo was seized 50 years ago. Now that is what the Cold War was all about 50 years.