THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 23, 1995 TAG: 9512220004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Since the beginning of modern warfare (steel ships instead of wooden, airplanes in place of horses, nuclear weapons instead of fused cannons, and hand-held missile launchers in place of muzzle-loading rifles) warring nations have taken prisoners of war to be used as bargaining chips and pawns.
I was told throughout my military career that the safety of an American serviceman would be defended by his fellow comrades in uniform - no matter what.
But our own American history tells us different. The Soviet Union admitted holding American POWs even after the treaties were negotiated, signed and finalized for World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The War Department, later the Department of Defense, knew of this but did nothing. Why?
Regarding the Navy ships USS Pueblo and USS Liberty - the Pueblo was operating in international waters off the coast of North Korea. Without provocation, the North Koreans captured the ship and held the crew captive for 11 months with one fatality. No action was taken to prevent capture even though our armed ships and aircraft were nearby in Japan.
Both Pueblo and Liberty were sent into hostile areas unarmed, with no escorts for protection.
Liberty, assigned to operate near Israel, was in sight of fighting on the shore. When a message was sent to Liberty to relocate further offshore, it was mistakenly routed to a communications station in the Philippines, then rerouted to the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. It took more than seven hours to reach the 6th Fleet flagship after finally being correctly routed, when an immediate voice message could have been sent straight to the ship. The message was sent routine priority. That was the reason for taking so long, but also the reason it never got to the ship. It was too late. The ship's communication equipment was already destroyed by gunfire, rockets and napalm. The USS Liberty was attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats.
An amazing repairman fixed a radio to put in the distress call. Fighter planes were dispatched but recalled in mid-flight by the secretary of defense. Why?
Thirty-four men were killed and two-thirds of the crew were injured. All were injured mentally - and we expect the protectors of our freedom to put their lives in peril while we have a track record such as this?
We cannot say it will not happen again because the same history repeats itself time and time again: every time our nation gets into a war, conflict or just a peacekeeping action such as Korea - or Bosnia.
WILLIAM K. BROWN
2nd District commander
BOBBY J. FREE
Commander, Federal Post 60
American Legion
Norfolk, Dec. 6, 1995 by CNB