Pueblo Still Prisoner
To The Editor:

A dark incident in Americana.

[In] its Jan. 30, 2004 edition, the New York Times reported the death of former Commander Lloyd M. Bucher at age 76. Cmdr. Bucher was captain of the Navy "spy ship Pueblo" when it was on patrol in interna tional waters off North Korea where it was captured by North Korean gun boats on January 23, 1968, together with its crew of 83. One sailor was killed during the action. North Korea claimed the Pueblo violated its territorial waters. The prisoners were held under brutal conditions where they were regularly beaten and kicked until their release in December 1968. In order to effect their release the United States had grudgingly issued a formal apology to North Korea.

As of this writing the USS Pueblo is still in captivity. Hyman Auslander Flushing