40th Anniversary of the Pueblo Crisis Call-up or Reserves and Guard

The Pueblo Crisis Call-up -- 40 Years Later

On January 22, 1968, a "spy ship" which had been re-named "The USS Pueblo" and manned by a crew of US Navy seaman was captured by vessels from the People's Republic of Korea (more commonly known as North Korea), thus beginning an incident in Cold War History known as "The Pueblo Crisis." One of the results of that crisis was that approximately 26,000 Reserves and Guardsmen (and a few women) were called to active duty.

Most of the Reserves called up were in the Air Arm. They were from a variety of locations. In addition to DC, there were also units in Ohio, Kentucky, Colorado, New York, New Mexico, South Dakota, Nevada, and several other states, involved. Only, recently has there been any attempt to capture the story of those involved in the call-up. During most of my subsequent military career, the 1968 call-ups (there was a subsequent one of more forces following the "Tet Offensive") were forgotten, and even, by some who should have known better, treated as if it never happened. ("There have been no call-ups of the Guards or Reserves since the Korean War," was a refrain I often heard/read in my studies [1983-86] at the Command and General Staff College of the Army.)

Approximately 1/3rd of those called up eventually ended up serving a tour of duty in Korea, about 1/3rd of those called up served a tour in Viet Nam, and the rest, mostly the senior officers and NCO's, stayed in stateside assignments.

Since the original reason for the call-up was the capture of the ship and the crew by the North Koreans, you would have thought that our role played a direct part in the eventual resolution of the "Crisis." The actual release of the crew occurred on January 1, 1969. Only a bare minimum of those Guardsmen/Reservists called to active duty had any direct role to play in the release. (Most of us were trying to find a way to "bring in" the "New Year" in a strange land, far away from family.) The ship, still considered in active service, is still held by the People's Republic of North Korea. It has never been recovered, nor, to the best of my knowledge, have we ever made any attempts at recovery.

I was one of those called up. Further, I was part of the group that ended up serving a tour of duty in the Republic of Korea (also commonly known as "South Korea"). Yes, I had joined the Guard to avoid the Draft (this was before they had developed the "Lottery System"), and ended up on active duty anyway. Thus began a very unlikely 31 year military career.

I received the call from my mother at my then place of work, The Powder Magazine at Colonial Williamsburg, on the day of the call-up. I had just started my second semester of work in the Graduate School of Education at The College of William and Mary. It had just started to snow. I told my boss what had happened, and he called his boss to let him know. Then I went to where Alice, my wife, was working, and told her. Next I went to our apartment, packed up my military gear, threw it in our car, and in a by-then driving snow storm, took off for my parent's home outside of DC, near where I was to report. The snow was awful that day and the traffic on I 95 was horrific. It was made worse by the occasional individual who was going to travel 60 miles an hour in the passing lane, regardless of the conditions. Invariably, a mile or two down the road, I, and the rest of us "slow-pokes," would pass this "smart" individual over in the median, sometimes on their side. But, somehow I made it up, and reported as required the next day.

This is a picture of the waters off the West Coast of Korea. I was standing approximately 7-8 miles from the DMZ which separates the two Koreas. Thus, this shot is taken less than 30-40 miles from where the Pueblo incident actually occurred.

There is a Honduran connection to this story after all. I was in our base camp, Camp Powderhorn, on the 20th Anniversary of my call-up. But since this was Honduras, instead of snow, as is obvious from the picture, we had rain. I remember passing a friend who had a Polaroid and stopping him and asking him to take my picture.

He asked: "Why?"
I replied: "Anniversary."
"Of your wedding?"
"Not hardly. . ." And then I went on to explain.

Thus he took the picture and gladly gave it to me.

Today it is cold and blustery. We have a few remnants of the snow that fell on Thursday. But otherwise it is, what can I say: "A January Day."

Hopefully, it will not be as significant as some previous January 26's.

Musings of a Front Yard Birder

Red Breasted Nuthatch

Like many folks everywhere, I feed the birds, particularly in the winter. This winter has been no exception. Every year I do it, however, it seems to be a different experience, particularly with the birds I attract.

This year the "novelty" bird is a Red Breasted Nuthatch. Now according to the "books" a Red Breasted Nuthatch is not unique to our corner of the world. The Ohio Valley of West Virginia is definitely within his/her winter range, and the uplands of WV are within his year round range. Further, they are not a particularly rare species. Indeed, I remember them visiting on an occasional basis in years past. Maybe for a week or two, and then he/she is gone. The bird books characterize this as an "irruption" normally caused by low food supplies i its normal range. Whether that is the case or not this year, all I know is that he has been here for some time and seems to like it.

But this year, this one has stayed around since Christmas. Further, he/she appears to be checking out the little birdhouse I have in my tree which is the normal abode of a brood of Chickadees. Is he/she thinking about staying around? (I really thought they prefered higher nests for one thing). Who knows? Stay tuned we'll see.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 15

The Statues

In addition to the stele in the courtyard, there were also statues as well. I am afraid I do not know what they mean, or meant, or were supposed to mean, and none of the sources I have consulted recently talk much about them. But some of them were amazing works of art.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 14

Fancy Walls

Another thing that impressed me about Copan was not only the size, but the intricate carvings on the stones that comprise the walls. It is hard to see in the above shot, but there is a glyph carved into the rock just to the left of the notch.

It is a little more obvious in this picture where the decoration is sticking out. These carvings were done by a people who only had the most rudimentary tools available. And yet they were obviously master craftsmen. Better pictures of the various rock carvings can be found at: http://www.copanhonduras.org/ruins.htm

And they apparently also covered these walls with stucco and even pigmented paint. In the first picture you can still see the residue of this coating after all these years.

Human Relations Day

HUMAN RELATIONS DAY

In our church, the Sunday closest to the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15) is celebrated as "Human Relations Day." It is supposed to be a time when we reflect upon the idea that since we are all creatures of God, created by the One God, we should be able to get along. Because of the close association with Dr. King's birthday, it also has become a time when we in the USA reflect upon the whole movement of the 1960's called "The Civil Rights Movement."

Dr. King was one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. He was certainly not the first leader of the movement, nor, in his time was he the only one. If truth were known, up to the summer of 1963 he was not necessarily the best known (plenty of others were competing for the same title). But he became the one most remembered largely on the basis of what he did here, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, on August 23, 1963 (IMHO).

On that day there was a giant "March on Washington" which culminated with a mass meeting at the Lincoln Memorial. ( No, I was not there. For one thing, "marches" were never "my thing" [sorry, that's a '60's expression]. For another, I was at a Circle K Convention in Norfolk Virginia at the same time the march was occurring). Dr. King, along with many other Civil Rights Leaders had helped organize the march ( a huge undertaking in and of itself). The highlight of the march, was Dr. King's delivery of a speech, he entitled "I Have a Dream." This speech has been called a "perfect example of inspiring and uplifting."

Now, I don't know about it being "perfect." It was a good one, for sure, and it has been remembered, for sure. But a "perfect example" or again, as it often proclaimed "one of the greatest?" After all, as even its admirers admit, King was using a oratorical style that has a long and rich history. So, let's wait another 50 years and we'll see (MHO).

So why all the acclaim for the speech? I suspect at least part of the reason the speech won such acclaim at the time was the fact that the media folks covering the event had probably not covered many speeches given by a speaker out of the African-American church pulpit. It was, after all, The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And he was first and foremost, a minister in the National Baptist Convention. As such, his oratorical style was very different from the "standard stump speech" that is the staple of those who inhabit American Political Life. And it was his difference in style that made him stand out. The different and the usual is normally reported on more completely and profusely.


So, those gathering before the Reflecting Pool on that day were hearing not an orator out of the American Political Tradition, rather they were hearing an orator out of the African American Church. And that made a whole lot of difference in the way the speech was delivered, and received.

Think about that as we watch the 2008 election unfold.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 13

After looking at the ball court I wandered around noticing how even with the restoration, the forest continually was moving in on the ruins. And thus, I figured, that is what caused the Mayans to fail, and yet at the same time, saved what they had done so that we could view them today.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 12

As Promised, here are two pictures of the "ball court" at Copan. This court, said to be the 2nd largest ever found in Meso America, was used in the "playing" of a game called "Tlachtli." But there is some question as to whether it really was a game, or maybe a ritual. There is some debate about whether the "players" were really players, or just captives from some war, playing to see who lost. This was because, it is believed, if they lost, they were then ritually killed right then and there.

The contest, let's not call it a game, involved moving a hard rubber ball around the court, and attempting to send the ball through a stone ring mounted on the wall. In doing this players apparently could not use their hands arms or feet, only their hips and torsos.

This contest was not "invented" by the Mayans. Apparently earlier civilizations had devised it (the Olemics?). Nor did it stop with the fall of the Mayans. The Azetecs later played it, and there is even a description of a game by one of the members of the early Spanish priests.

Now, before we dismiss all the above as "primitive nonsense," consider where we are in our culture. We are into the build-up for the "Super Bowl." What will later civilizations have to say about our civilization based on how we conduct our games?

Or better yet, consider this: WVU had a football coach making 1.7 million last year, and he left for a better offer! And now they are emboiled in a lawsuit! And the state is struggling to pay public school teachers a "living wage" and some have suggested one way to do this is to cut all funding to Public Libraries. Is football "just a game?" Or is it "a ritual," as well. And as for sacrifical rites for the losers, what do we see here?

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 11

Once again, we are looking off the top of the wall into another section of the courtyard. What is this we see? It is one of the biggest mysteries of the Mayan Civilization. Was it a game? Was it a brawl? Was it entertainment? More on this mysterious place, plus some closer views, on my next blog.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 10

And yet, despite, what I said 2 days ago, there was plenty of evidence around that you were standing in the middle of an active archeological site. I suspect that despite all the recent work, little has changed. Much of this area probably remains un-reconstructed. Still, it was, and probably still is, an interesting place to visit. See the sites listed in my sidebar for more information about the recent research.

Honduras -- Shall We Gather at the River

Baptism

In recognition of the celebration of the Baptism of our Lord, celebrated in many churches, including ours, that follow the Common Lectionary in their Liturgy, we take another pause from our tour of the Ruins of Copan to "gather at the river."

This phrase is from the well known Gospel Song "Shall We Gather at the River" written by Robert Lowry in the latter half of the 19th century. Lowry was a Baptist (Northern, or what is called today "American Baptist") seminary teacher and poet. He wrote several other songs, such as "Nothing But the Blood," but "Shall We Gather at the River" is probably his best known. Part of the reason he wrote about "Gathering at the River" is that most of the Gospel songs written up until that time invoked the "River" image only in reference to death. Lowry wished to have Christians remember that the image is also symbolic of re-birth, Christ's and theirs.

I personally have never conducted a Riverside Baptism. As you will remember, I did do a few "total submersions" in the Baptistry we had at St. Luke's (St. Albans). So, I guess except for dealing with the current of a flowing river, you could say I have "been to the river."

The river pictured above is from the road leading east out of the town of Jocon in the Departmente de Yoro. Later on I'll be showing other pictures of Jocon, this area, Yoro, other countryside scenes, and, of course Camp Powerhorn and Fuertes Caminos '88.(But be patient, as I hope to return to Copan on my next post!)

I have no idea whether the river pictured above was ever used/ has ever been used for Baptisms or not. While the country of Honduras is nominally Roman Catholic(which practices infant Baptism), there is a persistent prescence of Protestantism in the countryside. Most of these "missions" are one-two person operations which flourish while the missionary(ies) is (are) there, but seem to dry up when they leave. Many of these missionaries are from groups that practice "Believers Baptism" and thus would readily use a river such as the one pictured above.

Incidentally, in case you want to know the position of our church, the United Methodist Church, regarding Baptism, I refer you to a copy of John Wesley's "25 Articles of Religion" I found on the Web. To save you the trouble, I suggest you scroll down to Article 17. Or if you want the "Official Version" go to this web site.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 9

At times standing up on the wall and looking out on countryside you get the feeling that you are really a Mayan, and you can get a sense of what it was all like.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 8

The Mayan Arch

Most of us are familiar with the Arch. Wikipedia defines an arch as: " a curved structure capable of spanning a space while supporting significant weight (e.g. a doorway in a stone wall). " While I know some professionals who disdain the use of Wikipedia, this definition seems the most concise statement I know of. The Arch design we are familiar with (called "The Roman Arch" because the Romans used it extensively in their buildings) can be seen in this shot of the Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac (now part of the CSX Railroad) railroad span across the Rappahannock River in the town of Fredericksburg VA. This beautiful structure was built to replace a series of bridges that were constructed at this spot by the RF&P at various times. Several of the earlier bridges were torn down/destroyed and then rebuilt during the various military actions involving the Fredericksburg area.

As you can see from this shot up on the terrace at Copan, the Mayans also used an arch in their buildings. It was, however, obviously different in design from the Roman Arch that we are most familiar with today. The important point to remember is that this arch design was developed independently by the Mayans.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 7

Yet one more view of another portion of the large courtyard. The stakes you see surrounding the monuments in the yard were part of a chain and post system the Honduran government had installed to protect the remains.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 6

We finally did climb the steps and looked down on the courtyard. The view was really impressive (possibly the reason the structures were built in the first place?).

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 5

To me, one of the most impressive things about the pyramids was the steepness of them. I had thought that the course of stones going up the side of this structure was a set of stairs. But when I attempted to confirm this today I found that it is possible that this whole complex could have been one giant ampitheater and what we are looking at seats. Check out this official Honduran site for more information.

Whatever the structure was, the whole complex was very interesting.

(Remember, these shots were taken 20 years ago, and age does have a tendancy to becloud a person's mind.)

Ephipany

Today is Epiphany the day when most (but certainly not all) of the western world's churches celebrate the visit of the Wise Men (tradition says there are 3 but the Bible is silent on the subject). It is, to recall the old song sung so much the first 24 days of December, the 12th day of Christmas (depending upon whether you count full days, sun-up to sundown) when all those leaping Lords show up. In many countries, and Honduras is one of them, this day is known as "La Fiesta de Reyes."

The word, Epiphany, actually means "To show," or "To make real" (yes, I knew this before I read the site link above, that is what Theological Dictionaries are for). For some churches, including those United Methodist Churches that follow the liturgical calendar, the first Sunday after January 6 (unless January 6 falls on a Sunday which it did this year) is celebrated as the start of the season Epiphany. This season lasts until Ash Wednesday (which is February 6 this year), so its length can vary depending upon the date of the Easter celebration. The focus of many of the Bible passages assigned during this season is on the way Christ can bring all of us together.

In many countries, expecially throughout Latin America, Epiphany is the traditional day for gift giving (as opposed to Christmas morning). But somehow in our country, no doubt aided by the economic forces at work, we have rolled Christmas and Epiphany all into one giant celebration (or orgy depending upon the perspective you adopt).

I suppose the "American Way" is all right if you focus on the faces of little kids receiving presents. But, as with many things, you can get carried away with it. Check out the blog Tackychristmasyards to see what I mean.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 4

While the size of the mound pictured above is too small to be the remains of another pyramid, I took it because, according to what our guide told us, this provides an insight into what the first archeologists coming to Copan found in the way of Mayan remains. While the area around Copan is not quite the tropical jungle in the way the areas around other outposts of the Mayan Civilization are, it still does foster a profuse plant life. Thus this shot demonstrates in real life terms what the model I showed yesterday was trying to depict. These objects were pretty well hidden by the time someone came upon them.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 3

Yesterday's shot may have left you wondering just what the pyramids of Copan looked like when they were built. The Visitor's Center at the entrance provided a helpful model. It is hard to see from this shot, I was using a super cheap PX camera I had purchased, but the back part of the model is covered in such a way as to indicate how the pyramid eventually became overgrown. Check out the official Honduran Government's Copan website for a better view.

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 2

After the Stele, I found the pyramids the most fascinating thing about Copan (See my sidebar for a few web sites where you will find out more information). Here you see our party posed at the foot of one of the Pyramids.

Something to remember about these structures:
All of the structures in Copan were built around 800 A.D. Think about that, 800 A.D. the year that Charlamagne was crowned the head of the Holy Roman Empire, and Europe was sinking into that period known to historians today as "The Dark Ages."Meanwhile the Mayan Civilization was at the height of its splendor.

Copan is one of the sites the National Geographic Society sends researchers to on a regular basis. None were there either day I was there, but we found out on my second visit, when this shot was taken, that they were expected within the week to be there to begin shooting for a TV show. Much of the recent work of the Geographic Society has focused on the pyramids at Copan and several other Mayan centers. If you are interested you need to visit these sites.

Honduras -- The Carribean Coast

Today I had intended to return to the ruins of Copan in Honduras and show you another scene from that fantastic place. However, when we woke up this morning it was 16 degrees outside and the snow was beginning to fall. As of this time, near the "heat" of the day, it has warmed up to a magnificent 24.9 degrees and we have 3 1/2 to 4 inches of "the white stuff" on the ground (it is blowing some so an accurate measurement is hard to attain). And so, I thought, why not?

And so I bring you:

The Carribean Coast of Honduras.

The scene was shot near the resort town of Le Ceiba. We were flying in a Huey over to a government airstrip in that area.

So enjoy the Banana trees, the warm water lapping at the shore, the sandy beach, and the nearby Mangrove swamps. And then get up and go out and shovel that snow!

Church Anniversary

2008 is a special year for Cross Lanes United Methodist Church. It is celebrating its 150th Anniversary. While the actual date when folks started meeting under the guidance of a pastor from the Methodist Episcopal Church (South) is uncertain as of this posting, though I hope to find out some time during the year, the April 1858 date has been settled upon because that was when they purchased land.



The Church is very different now from what it was for the first 80 years of its life. At the beginning, it was a small rural church assigned to a circuit. The Preacher normally only came 1 Sunday a month. The rest of the time, the folks met for Sunday School only.



Now it is one of the larger churches in the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (anywhere from 19th to 21st depending upon which measure you use).


It has had a glorious time since about 1935-6 with a steady growth in all aspects of church life, until just very recently. Now, well, we don't know what with the changing economy in the Kanawha Valley and all. Things could change. But perhaps the change will be for the better.