Honoring the crew members of the U.S.S. Pueblo

They were prisoners of war for 11 months in North Korea during the Vietnam War and The Home of Heroes honored them today.

The crew members of the U.S.S. Pueblo, which was named after the Steel City, were released on December 1968. They were prisoners of North Korea because they were conducting intelligence operations and North Korea surrounded the ship, attacked it and seized it. The ship is still in North Korea.

“It’s still a sore spot,” U.S.S. Pueblo Deck Seaman Earl Phares said.

The crew reunited in Pueblo for the first time in two years.

“It’s always good to see the crew and see how they are faring with their health,” Phares said.

A local artist made two portraits in honor of the crew members.

“Well I have always loved the Pueblo, I have a thing for small ships, I was a captain for a small tanker called the Pacific Trojan,” artist Richard Derosset said. He painted the portraits.

Donald Peppard worked in the research department on the U.S.S. Pueblo. He said the portraits bring back memories.

“He captured the essence of the ship in a storm in the mid-Pacific and we did go through such a storm,” he said.

Even though the crew members had a good time at the reunion, the memories of being held prisoner in North Korea will not go away.

“They shot us up pretty heavy, boarded us, took the ship and the crew for 11 months sometimes under brutal conditions,” Peppard said.

“I felt like a bird in a cage, when they feed you they will feed you, when they want to beat you up, they will beat you up,” P.P. Garcia said. He worked in the supply department.

Phares said having a sense of humor and being together got the crew members through the 11 months of being in North Korea.

The two portraits can be seen at the Center for American Values and City Hall when the renovations are complete.