Lloyd "Pete" Bucher holds a place in history as Navy Commander Lloyd Bucher, captain of the USS Pueblo, the US naval vessel that was captured by North Korean torpedo boats in international waters off the coast of North Korea in 1968. His story, as I've been able to understand it, is a sad one of conscienceless abandonment under attack followed by reprehensible scapegoating by his higher command after returning from 11 months of hell as a prisoner in North Korea.
Growing Up
He was born in Idaho in 1927 and orphaned as an infant child. His adoptive parents, Mr. and Mrs. Austin Bucher both died when he was still very young, leaving him a ward of the state once more. After seeing the Spencer Tracy film about Boys Town, he wrote a letter to Father Flannigan, who responded with train tickets. He entered Boys Town at the age of eight. In Bucher's words, "Boys Town was the only home that I ever had."
The Navy
He joined the Navy at 17, but interrupted his enlistment to study and play football at the University of Nebraska. After graduating, he was commissioned as an officer in the Navy and served mostly in submarines. He climbed the ranks with the ambition of commanding a sub some day. When the Navy gave him his first command, however, it was not a submarine. It was an old 176 foot-long WWII transport ship to be re-outfitted as an electronic spy vessel. It was the USS Pueblo.
The Pueblo Incident
Cmdr. Bucher was in command of the USS Pueblo on its first mission after the initial shake-down cruise that followed its coversion to an electronic intelligence collecting vessel. The night before the newly outfitted Pueblo sailed out on that first mission with her new captain and crew, Cmdr. Bucher was cautioned by Rear Admiral Frank Johnson, "Remember, you are not going out there to start a war."
On January 23, 1968, the ship was at its ordered position in international waters well off the coast of North Korea, when it was attacked by four North Korean torpedo boats that tried to seize the ship. The Koreans claimed that the ship was in their territorial waters. Frantic radio calls for help from the Pueblo produced no response, even though the US had major military might within five minutes travel time from the site of the attack.
Cmdr. Bucher ordered evasion of the attempted landing party and the maneuvering was successful. However, the Korean boats reacted with an intensive barrage of cannon fire. The Pueblo, which was armed only with two .50 caliber machine guns, was hit by the cannon fire. One sailor died and 17 were wounded in that attack. Cmdr. Bucher was one of the wounded. The crew were busy trying to destroy secret equipment and documents in preparation for seizure by the North Koreans. Bucher later pointed out that the effort would have been more successful had the Navy installed the destruction system he had requested. Cmdr. Bucher then ordered surrender of the vessel to the second boarding party that approached. They seized the vessel and took the captain and the 81 members of the crew prisoner.
Prisoners of No War
For the next 11 months, those 82 men suffered beatings, burning, humiliation and starvation as the country they were serving faithfully did nothing. Many had given up hope that their country could or would effect their release. Crew members report that Bucher suffered the focus of their captors' brutality, receiving "double, triple, quadruple what we got". The crew regarded him very highly. They were amazed and strengthed by his ability to withstand the constant physical and mental punishment he suffered.
Finally, Bucher signed a false and coerced confession for their captors. Nevertheless, he used a kind of secret sign (an extended middle finger) to let his fellow Americans and the world understand the hollowness of the confession. He urged the others to do the same when they were photographed. The ploy backfired when Time magazine felt it necessary to explain to the world, and thus to the North Koreans, what the gesture signified. In reprisal, the torture and maltreatment of the prisoners was intensified.
Cmdr. Bucher and the crew of the Pueblo were finally released a few days before Christmas, 1968. To secure the release, the US government had agreed to produce an official document confessing to wrongdoing in the incident. It was signed by Army Major General Gilbert Woodword, who announced at the signing that "... my signature will not and cannot change the facts ..."
Not So Welcome Home
The Navy high command were not at all pleased with Commander Bucher's performance of his duty. He was not welcomed back as a hero and survivor of long and wicked punishment suffered as a result of following orders and serving his country and a commanding officer who brought his crew home alive. In fact, a formal Court of Inquiry recommended Cmdr. Bucher be brought before a General Court-martial for surrendering his vessel, although the recommendation was rejected by Navy Secretary John H. Chafee. POW medals were not awarded to captain or crew because "there was no war". It wasn't until 20 years later, in 1989, that the Pentagon changed its attitude and awarded the Prisoner of War medals.
On his part Pete Bucher remained angry and bitter that the Pueblo's calls for help were ignored and that after capture stronger efforts weren't made to secure return of the crew and ship. He made no effort to hide his feelings. His superiors continued to treat him as an outcast and he was parked in a desk job for the rest of his career. Cmdr. Lloyd Bucher retired from the Navy in 1973, after 27 years of service and three years before his full retirement date.
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