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USS Pueblo
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Armed GroupUS

USS Pueblo

US Navy intelligence ship seized by North Korea in 1968

USS Pueblo, seized by North Korea off Wonsan on 23 January 1968, is the reference case for a state capturing a US intelligence platform at SEA. Iran's claimed capture of a Kingfish drone on 27 September 2026 came with no CREW.

Last refreshed: 7 October 2026

Timeline for USS Pueblo

#13 27 Sept

Iran claims to hold a US Kingfish robot

Autonomous Systems: Land & Sea
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Background

USS Pueblo was built at Kewaunee, Wisconsin, in 1944 as a US Army cargo ship. The Navy converted her for intelligence collection and commissioned her as AGER-2 in May 1967. On 23 January 1968 North Korean forces fired on her off Wonsan and seized her. North Korean fire killed Fireman Duane Hodges, one of the CREW. The other 82 men were held for 11 months and released on 23 December 1968. North Korea kept the ship, which is still US Navy property and is displayed as a museum ship in Pyongyang.

Pueblo is the reference case for a state seizing a US intelligence platform at SEA and holding its CREW as leverage. On 27 September 2026 Iran said it had captured a Kingfish, a US Navy underwater minehunting drone, in Hormuz; US Central Command denies losing one.

An uncrewed vehicle gives a captor technology but no hostages. That changes the risk calculation for crewless minehunters such as the Royal Navy's Ariadne, sent towards Hormuz.

Common Questions
When was the USS Pueblo captured?
North Korean forces seized USS Pueblo off Wonsan on 23 January 1968 while she was collecting intelligence.Source: https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/ager-2.htm
How long was the Pueblo crew held?
Eleven months. One crewman was killed in the seizure; the other 82 were released on 23 December 1968.Source: https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/ager-2.htm
Where is the USS Pueblo now?
North Korea still holds the ship, which remains US Navy property. It is displayed as a museum ship in Pyongyang.Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pueblo_(AGER-2)
Why is the Pueblo compared with captured drones?
Pueblo's CREW became hostages for 11 months. A seized uncrewed vehicle, such as the Kingfish Iran claims to hold, gives a captor no hostages to bargain with.Source:
Source Material
USS Pueblo (AGER-2)AGER-2 Pueblo