January 23: North Korea Captures the USS Pueblo (1968)

Prayer Idea

Pray for the people of North Korea who suffer under an oppressive government and that the leaders of the country would have a change of heart.

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History Note

The United States suffered an international embarrassment on January 23, 1968. The North Korean military captured an American intelligence-gathering vessel, the USS Pueblo. The U.S. demanded the release of the crew and ship, but North Korea refused.

American leaders considered the option of sending the U.S. military to attempt a rescue, which would have resulted in further conflict and possibly the death of the crew. By pursuing the release of the crew through diplomatic channels, American leaders feared appearing to be powerless against North Korea.

The Pueblo incident lingered throughout the rest of the year and became an issue in the presidential election campaign that fall. North Korea released the crew after 11 months on December 23, but North Korea kept the ship. It is on display as a tourist attraction in the capital of Pyongyang.

The USS Pueblo on display in Pyongyang, North Korea. Photo by PetraKub / Shutterstock.com.

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Learn More

This video looks at the complexity of international relations and how President Lyndon Johnson’s administration dealt with the capture of the USS Pueblo.

Find more resources about the USS Pueblo, North Korea, and the Cold War at Homeschool History.