personal heroes
Sep. 13th, 2008 11:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prgrmrIt's not often that you get to read about a goup of men, quickly come to regard them as personal heroes for what they went through and endured, and then eventually get to meet some of them.
Today, that's exactly what I got to do.
I think I've written in the past about the USS Pueblo. In 1968, it was hijacked off of the coast of North Korea, and the offices and crew held as prisoners for most of the year. They were, at times, starved, beaten and subjected to some psychological tortures to persuade them to sign confessions of the crimes which the North Koreans accused them.
My first introduction to the officers and crew of the Pueblo was in 1992 after I had moved to New Hampshire. I was staying with my father-in-law and helping myself to his library. He had a copy of A Matter of Accountability, by Washington Post writer Trevor Armbrister. It's an intense, long read about the preparations (ill- and otherwise) of the boat, the crew, the mission, and then a very detailed story of what happened to the crew during the capture, incarceration, and eventual return home.
In 1997, after I discovered ebay and started actively searching for books and coins and other things of interest to me at the time, I discovered that there were other books about the Pueblo. Lots of them. I currently own 14 (plus a few dups) as well as the various Time, Life, Newsweek, and other magazines from January and December of 1968 with the stories of the boats' capture and the crews' release.
In February of 2003, I came into possesion of this plaque:
It was given to each officer and crew member at a welcome home dinner in San Diego. The plaques were presented by none other than John Wayne. In January of this year, in the course of pursuing another Pueblo-related item on ebay, I meet via e-mail Mr. Bob Chicca. He was one of two marines on board the Pueblo. We got to talking about the Pueblo and my small collection of books and memorabilia, and I told him about the plaque. Mr Chicca then told me that some time after he'd been state-side, he'd been interviewed for a newspaper article and had offered his plaque to a photo-journalist for pictures for the article. It was never returned.
Mr Chicca then told me that the USS Pueblo Veteran's Association's 40th reunion was being held this year, and for the first time on the east coast, up in Essex, Vermont, and that I was welcome to come. At the time I was only working part time and September was a long way off.
Today, I drove up to Essex and returned to Mr Chicca his plaque. He did indeed recall our conversation, and yet was surprised and appreciative and I think a little overwhelmed. He excused himself and went back inside (I timed my visit to coincide with an outdoor reception so I would be as least intrusive as possible) and returned with a t-shirt, coffee mug and some other 40th reunion memorabilia to give to me. Then it was my turn to be surprised and appreciative and a little overwhelmed.
I wasn't there long, less then 40 minutes. I got to be introduced to several other of the officers and crew, including Ralph Reed and Mr Edward Murphy, who was the second-in-command. You can see Mr. Chicca and Mr. Reed as they looked in December of 1968 below:
It was an honor to meet these gentlemen who gave some much for their country. It was a privilege to be a custodian of the plaque these 5 years, especially because it was so obvious that it meant a lot to Mr. Chicca to have it. This is both an experience and an accomplishment that I don't know if I'll ever top in my life.
Today, that's exactly what I got to do.
I think I've written in the past about the USS Pueblo. In 1968, it was hijacked off of the coast of North Korea, and the offices and crew held as prisoners for most of the year. They were, at times, starved, beaten and subjected to some psychological tortures to persuade them to sign confessions of the crimes which the North Koreans accused them.
My first introduction to the officers and crew of the Pueblo was in 1992 after I had moved to New Hampshire. I was staying with my father-in-law and helping myself to his library. He had a copy of A Matter of Accountability, by Washington Post writer Trevor Armbrister. It's an intense, long read about the preparations (ill- and otherwise) of the boat, the crew, the mission, and then a very detailed story of what happened to the crew during the capture, incarceration, and eventual return home.
In 1997, after I discovered ebay and started actively searching for books and coins and other things of interest to me at the time, I discovered that there were other books about the Pueblo. Lots of them. I currently own 14 (plus a few dups) as well as the various Time, Life, Newsweek, and other magazines from January and December of 1968 with the stories of the boats' capture and the crews' release.
In February of 2003, I came into possesion of this plaque:
It was given to each officer and crew member at a welcome home dinner in San Diego. The plaques were presented by none other than John Wayne. In January of this year, in the course of pursuing another Pueblo-related item on ebay, I meet via e-mail Mr. Bob Chicca. He was one of two marines on board the Pueblo. We got to talking about the Pueblo and my small collection of books and memorabilia, and I told him about the plaque. Mr Chicca then told me that some time after he'd been state-side, he'd been interviewed for a newspaper article and had offered his plaque to a photo-journalist for pictures for the article. It was never returned.
Mr Chicca then told me that the USS Pueblo Veteran's Association's 40th reunion was being held this year, and for the first time on the east coast, up in Essex, Vermont, and that I was welcome to come. At the time I was only working part time and September was a long way off.
Today, I drove up to Essex and returned to Mr Chicca his plaque. He did indeed recall our conversation, and yet was surprised and appreciative and I think a little overwhelmed. He excused himself and went back inside (I timed my visit to coincide with an outdoor reception so I would be as least intrusive as possible) and returned with a t-shirt, coffee mug and some other 40th reunion memorabilia to give to me. Then it was my turn to be surprised and appreciative and a little overwhelmed.
I wasn't there long, less then 40 minutes. I got to be introduced to several other of the officers and crew, including Ralph Reed and Mr Edward Murphy, who was the second-in-command. You can see Mr. Chicca and Mr. Reed as they looked in December of 1968 below:
It was an honor to meet these gentlemen who gave some much for their country. It was a privilege to be a custodian of the plaque these 5 years, especially because it was so obvious that it meant a lot to Mr. Chicca to have it. This is both an experience and an accomplishment that I don't know if I'll ever top in my life.
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-14 05:08 am (UTC)Brave guys, every bit the heros as any WWII or Vietnam POW.
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Date: 2008-09-15 02:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-14 07:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-15 02:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-15 04:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-14 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-15 02:46 am (UTC)