Remembering - a Navy Experience

My memory was jogged by this news item yesterday -
"North Korea to Put Captured US Spy Ship on Display".

(Select the above link to read the news item)

In September 1968, the USS Safeguard (ARS-25) departed Pearl Harbor for a 6 month deployment to the western Pacific during the Vietnam War.  I was the Navigator and Executive Officer. 

We stopped at the Naval Base in Apra Harbor, Guam to refuel on our way to Subic Bay in the Philippines.  It was a hot afternoon, and a group of officers got in our Jeep and headed to the Officers' Club for some cool libations.  After our first drink, we received a phone call from the Officer of the Deck on the ship saying we just received orders to get underway immediately.

When we returned to the ship, we learned that we had been designated as the rescue salvage ship to tow the USS Pueblo (AGER-2) from Wonsan Harbor in North Korea.  We got underway for Sasebo, Japan where I believe we were to be joined by a Destroyer to escort us.  This was an exciting as well as risky assignment. 

The following morning we received orders canceling the mission, and so we changed course for Subic Bay.  I assume that there were negotiations for the release of the Pueblo and it's crew that must have fallen through. 

The USS Pueblo was captured by the North Koreans on January 23, 1968 while on an intelligence gathering mission.  The crew members were detained and tortured, and eventually released on December 23, 1968.