This is a story that has all the ingredients of a Hollywood thriller, including high-tech espionage, Communist villains and American military heroes captured and subjected to brutal torture for months on end. But this is no Hollywood movie. It is the true story of the USS Pueblo and her brave crew of 83. In this podcast, you will hear about an incident that began in January 1968 and still resonates today. The USS Pueblo, an American surveillance vessel, was on her maiden voyage under orders to gather intelligence on North Korea. But the North Koreans had other plans. For the first time in some 150 years, an American Navy ship was seized in international waters. The astonishing action nearly brought the United States to the brink of war, and the staggering intelligence loss from the ship's capture compromised national security for nearly two decades. Hear from the men who endured eleven months of brutal captivity, including the ship's commander, Lloyd "Pete" Bucher, who returned home only to face court-martial. The end to this story has yet to be written. The North Koreans continue to hold the ship captive and now use it as a "tourist" attraction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices