THE return of Pueblo's crew five months ago backed the Pentagon into a cruel corner. Navy regulations and service sentiment seemed heavily in favor of punishing Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, and perhaps others, for allowing the vessel and her secret documents to fall into hostile hands without a serious attempt at resistance or destruction. To most of the public, though, Pueblo's skipper and crew were heroes who had suffered and survived eleven months of North Korean brutality. They were not for hanging. Last week Navy Secretary John Chafee steered between the reefs of opinion and proceeded to bring the agonizing affair...
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