[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 108 (Monday, September 13, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7002-H7003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SALUTING THE LIFE AND COURAGE OF THE LATE COMMANDER LLOYD ``PETE'' 
                                 BUCHER

  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 407) saluting the life and courage 
of the late Commander Lloyd ``Pete'' Bucher, United States Navy 
(retired), who commanded the U.S.S. Pueblo (AGER-2) at the time of its 
capture by North Korea on January 23, 1968.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 407

       Whereas on January 28, 2004, Commander Lloyd ``Pete'' 
     Bucher, United States Navy (retired), died and was 
     subsequently buried with honors at Fort Rosecrans National 
     Cemetery in Point Loma, San Diego, California;
       Whereas Lloyd Bucher was appointed as a commissioned 
     officer in the Navy in June 1953 and in May 1967 was assigned 
     command of the U.S.S. Pueblo (AGER-2), an auxiliary light 
     cargo ship designated as an environmental research vessel;
       Whereas the U.S.S. Pueblo, while under the command of 
     Commander Bucher and in international waters conducting an 
     intelligence mission off the coast of North Korea, was 
     attacked by three North Korean torpedo boats and a North 
     Korean sub chaser on January 23, 1968;
       Whereas the U.S.S. Pueblo was armed only with two .50-
     caliber machine guns, and the attack resulted in the death of 
     one Navy sailor and the capture of Commander Bucher, his 
     crew, and the U.S.S. Pueblo;
       Whereas Commander Bucher and his crew were starved and 
     tortured for 11 months, and were repeatedly beaten, burned on 
     steam radiators, and otherwise brutally treated by their 
     North Korean captors;
       Whereas Commander Bucher bore the brunt of the wrath of the 
     North Koreans;
       Whereas crewman James Kell said, ``We were all beaten, we 
     all were tortured. But [Commander Bucher] had it double, 
     triple, quadruple what we got.'';
       Whereas crewman Stu Russell said, ``[Commander Bucher] was 
     a giant. No matter who did what, he was always punished. I 
     simply don't know where he got the strength and courage to go 
     through what he did.'';
       Whereas on December 23, 1968, the crew of the U.S.S. Pueblo 
     was released, some of whom were crippled or nearly blind 
     because of the brutality and malnourishment they endured;
       Whereas Commander Bucher retired from the Navy in 1973; and
       Whereas Commander Bucher is survived by his wife, Rose, 
     their two sons, and several grandchildren: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) salutes the life and courage of the late Commander 
     Lloyd ``Pete'' Bucher, United States Navy (retired), who 
     commanded the U.S.S. Pueblo (AGER-2) at the time of its 
     capture by North Korea on January 23, 1968, and who passed 
     away on January 28, 2004;
       (2) praises Commander Bucher for his exemplary bravery and 
     sacrifice, which were an inspiration to his crew and the 
     United States, while he and his crew were held in captivity 
     for 11 months in North Korea;
       (3) praises the bravery of the crew of the U.S.S. Pueblo; 
     and
       (4) expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the family and 
     friends of Commander Bucher.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Akin) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Akin).


                             General Leave

  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the concurrent resolution currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, some observers have argued that the United States won 
the Cold War without firing a shot. While we may have secured our 
victory without a large-scale military conflict with the former Soviet 
Union, there are many Americans whose lives were indelibly marked by 
this not-so-Cold War. One of those Americans was Commander Pete Bucher. 
I rise today to honor this American patriot and the men who served 
under his command on the USS Pueblo.
  On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo was commanded by Pete Bucher and 
was monitoring Communist ship movements and intercepting messages in 
international waters near the North Korean coast when it was attacked 
by North Korean naval forces. As a result of the attack, one Navy 
sailor, Fireman Duane Hodges, was killed and the remaining crew members 
were captured. Their incarceration marked the beginning of a nearly 
yearlong ordeal for Commander Bucher and the crew of the USS Pueblo.
  Held in concrete cells for 11 months, Commander Bucher and the Pueblo 
crew were starved and tortured by the North Koreans. Mostly fed 
turnips, many of the malnourished crew members began to lose their 
sight. They were repeatedly beaten and burned. According to Crewman Bob 
Chicca, the North Koreans would use ``rifle butts or pieces of wood, 
whatever they had handy, to beat us.''
  By all accounts, Pete Bucher bore the brunt of the North Koreans' 
wrath. According to crewman Stu Russell, Bucher ``was a giant.'' As 
commanding officer, Bucher was the focus of the North Korean efforts. 
Russell recalled that ``he took the brunt of everything. No matter who 
did what, he was always punished. I simply don't know where he

[[Page H7003]]

got the strength and courage to go through what he did.'' Eventually 
Bucher, when he was wounded when the Pueblo was shelled, was beaten and 
tortured into signing a ``confession,'' an act he also felt would save 
the lives of his crew.
  During her husband's captivity, Rose Bucher, a native of my home 
State of Missouri, worked hard to make sure Americans did not forget 
the men of the Pueblo. Rose handed out bumper stickers reminding the 
public to ``Remember the Pueblo.'' Finally, 2 days before Christmas 
1968, Commander Bucher and the crew of the Pueblo were released one by 
one across the ``Bridge of No Return'' from North to South Korea. At 
the time Bucher stated, ``It was like coming out of the grave.''
  On 28 January 2004, this courageous warrior passed from this world 
into the next. He was subsequently buried with honors at Fort Rosecrans 
National Cemetery in Point Loma, San Diego, California. Three men who 
served under Pete Bucher on the Pueblo carried the flag-draped coffin 
to its final resting place overlooking San Diego Bay.
  Today, I am pleased to be joined by 26 of my House colleagues, both 
Republican and Democrat, in offering this resolution to honor Commander 
Lloyd ``Pete'' Bucher and the crew of the USS Pueblo. Pete Bucher and 
his crew sacrificed that each of us may enjoy the liberty for which so 
many others have given the ultimate sacrifice. In passing this 
resolution, we continue to remember the Pueblo.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 407 introduced by my 
colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Akin). I would like to 
recognize the gentleman for his leadership and work in bringing forward 
this resolution to salute the service and extreme bravery of Commander 
Lloyd Mark Bucher and the crew of the USS Pueblo.
  Sadly, Lloyd Bucher, who went by the name of ``Pete,'' passed away 
earlier this year. With his passing, the tragic event of the capture of 
the USS Pueblo in 1968 by North Korea once again brings light upon this 
exceptional individual. Commander Bucher did not just have the 
unfortunate privilege of being the commander of the USS Pueblo when it 
was attacked by the North Koreans on January 23, 1968. It was his 
bravery, loyalty and steadfastness to his men that distinguished him as 
an extraordinary leader during a dark and very challenging time.
  Pete Bucher's life is an American story. He was born in 1927. His 
parents died when he was an infant. He was adopted, but tragically, his 
adoptive parents also died during his childhood.
  After seeing the film ``Boys Town,'' he wrote to Father Flanagan 
asking if he could live there. According to a Boys Town account, Father 
Flanagan sent him a train ticket, and Pete Bucher finally found a 
permanent home in Omaha, Nebraska.
  At 17 years of age, Pete Bucher enlisted in the Navy. He went on to 
college at the University of Nebraska, and after graduating he became a 
naval officer and served for 27 years before retiring in 1973.
  He might have lived an ordinary naval life if not for the terrible 
events that unfolded on January 23, 1968. As commander of the USS 
Pueblo, an intelligence gathering ship, Commander Bucher was ordered to 
cruise off the eastern coast of North Korea to intercept communications 
and gather intelligence. While on their maiden voyage and in 
international waters, the Pueblo armed only with two .50 caliber 
machine guns was attacked by three North Korean torpedo boats and a 
North Korean sub chaser.
  The attack ended with one American crewman killed and a number of 
crew wounded, including Commander Bucher.

                              {time}  1415

  Despite radio calls seeking air support, no help ever arrived. 
Instead, the crew and its captain were taken as prisoners. Beaten, 
tortured, and starved nearly to death, the crew endured this brutality 
for nearly a year. Pete Bucher, as the leader of the crew, took the 
brunt of these punishments.
  According to James Kell, a Pueblo survivor, many more sailors would 
have died without Bucher's sense of bravery and leadership. He bore the 
worst of the tortures and inspired his men to hang on. It was his 
concern for saving the life of his crew that made him a sailor's 
sailor, a sign of respect and admiration from his crew. On December 23, 
1968, 11 months after their capture, the crew and the captain of the 
USS Pueblo were released. Many were crippled or nearly blind because of 
malnourishment they endured.
  Yet Commander Pete Bucher would not receive the support and 
recognition that he deserved from his commanding officers. Instead, he 
faced an official court of inquiry that criticized him for surrendering 
his ship and recommended a court-martial. But Bucher was never charged. 
He continued to serve in the Navy and retired in 1973.
  Today, we remember the Pueblo, and we salute the life and the courage 
of this exceptional individual and recognize the bravery of all those 
who served with him aboard the USS Pueblo. Mr. Speaker, I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 407, 
of which I am an original co-sponsor, saluting the life and courage of 
the late Commander Lloyd ``Pete'' Bucher, United States Navy (retired) 
and the crew of the USS Pueblo.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that two of the USS Pueblo crew 
members, First Class Petty Officer Donald R. Peppard and Seaman Ramon 
Rosales, hail from my Congressional district of El Paso, Texas. Both 
were among the gallant men who served their country honorably in the 
face of much hardship. As you know, the members of the USS Pueblo, 
under the leadership of Commander Bucher, endured 11 months of 
excruciating captivity at the hands of the North Koreans without 
knowing if they would return to their loved ones.
  Mr. Speaker, this is merely a small recognition paying tribute to the 
late Commander Bucher and the crew of the USS Pueblo, for this country 
owes much more to them than we could ever reciprocate. I strongly urge 
my colleagues to join me in honoring the brave men of the USS Pueblo by 
supporting the passage of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Aderholt). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Akin) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 407.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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