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SECRET/ICOMIPdT _, ... _.....;._

~~Table or Contents \.. ' .... ~~

Summary of PUEBLO Incident

2. Chart of Incident Area

J. Introduction

u. ' Ship Characteristics

.5-6. SIGDJT Configuration

?. Gist of NSA Tasking

B. Concept of Operations

Chart of Opera tiona1 Areas

1¢. NSA Invo1 vement

11. Command Directives arid Approval Authorization

'· ·, Approved for Release by NSA on 07-08-2013, FOIA Case# 63391

SECRETf/COMl~dT

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DOCID· OFFICIAL UeE: O~JLY

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USS PALM B:!!:A'CH . . pu-::-..a10 01;' USS • : · ~HIP 1· SISTER .... •

UNCLASSIFIED/f.FOR OFFICIAL UeE: O~JLY

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4062752

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I PUEBLO INCIOE.l\"1'

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At 23/0300Z the U.S.S~ PUEBLO -- a SIGim' shipboaxd platform, . ·: : ·{ was encounte:red by one KORO)M s.o. l Class sub-narine chaser at _: .. ;; a point 20 nautical miles from the nearest land mass. The KOR<X>M ~· . vessel ~ircled the PtJEBLO th;re~, times during which the KORCOMS : .. ·' .""!.,.

queried nationality and ship type. The KORCCM; then s:tgnaled' · ·, · ': ·. ~

PUEBLO to heave to or be fired on. At 0400, t·.1ree additional ·.. ;-;; KORCX)M P-4· Class pa·<:rol boats joined thP. s.o. l.:... .At 04l6Z two '· KORCOM MIG fighters were noted circling tl1e PU:~BLO. At 043SZ, ., I

.. ·. PUEBLO was fired on and 4 u. S. personnel were wounded, one

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critically. The PUEBLO wc.s suosequ~n'tl!T boa;td?d a~ 0445Z and forced towards the KORCOM port or Wonsan; when boarded the PUEBLO was 21 N.M. from the nearest KORCOM la:n.j mass.

·ouring the encounter, the PUEB:..O wa·3 in contac-: wm KAMI SEYA"' . ~ The PUEBLO reported that all ~cey lists W<?re ·being destroyej ' but several publications \11ill be comprotufsed. Contact. wi-:h the

PUEBLO was lost at 0545Z when L-11 communications equipment ab~ard was destroy·ad •

."The PUEBLO offered· no resistance and ciidn' t f'i1:e her· armament. There were 31 Cat III cleared perso~mel aboard ~he PUEBLO _·at· ·the· time or the incident. · '

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lnlem1tlon1I boundary

National capllal

lntern1I administrative boundary

R11lro1d

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DOCID: 4062752 SE CRETf/C OMlt<:JT

·e Introduction

USS Pueblo (AGER 2) is one of t:tliree converted AKC's (light cargo ship)

currently configured for intellegence collecti9n, including SIGINT. :·

The Pu.eblo departed Yokusuka Japan on 4 January· and proceeded to

Sasebo Japan. She departed ~asebo, Japan on 102100Z January 'for operations

in the Sea of Japan, primar~ off t4e coast or North Korea.

The purpose or the patrol as expressed by CINCPACFLT was to:

(1) Determine nature and extent or naval activity vicinit7

of North Korean ports of Chongjin, Sonjin, Mayang, Do and Wonson.

(2) Sample electronic environment or F.ast Coast North Korea,

with emphasis on intercept/fixing of coastal radars.

(l) Intercept and conduct surveillance or Soviet naval units

operating Tsushillla. Straits in effort to determine purpose or Soviet

presenqe in that area since February- 1966.

(4) Determine Soviet and North Korean reaction to an overt

intelligence collector operating near periphery and conducting surveillance

or naval units.

(5) Report any deployment or North Korean/Soviet units which

might indicate a change in th~ WESTPAC threat level.

(6) Evaluate USS Pueblo (AGER 2) 'capabilities as' a naval

surveillance ship.

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DOCID: 4062752 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE OHLY

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USS Pueblo is a converted AKL. The conve:reion was made by Bremerton

Naval Shipyard in 1967 and the ship wa~ conmissioned on I .3 MAY 1qt;, 1 •

The principal characteristics of the ship are as followa:

Length

Beam

Dra..ft

Displacement

Speea

Personnel -

210 feet

44 feet

17 feet

1800 tons

12.2 knots

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' approxim&te~ ~ General Service

31 Naval Security Group

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DOCID: 4062752 SECRET#COMl~ff

SIGINT Configuration I

Rack 1 I 2, 31 4

Radio Printer/Sub System Capability

2 TT 289 2 URA 17 2 2 R390 1 4 track

Rack 5 and 6

Radiotelephone

1 VLF 1 HF/VHF 2 VHF 2 SDU

Printer Demodulator Converters Reced:.vera Recorder

Recemver 2174 Rycon Receiver CEI 519 Receivers R13S5

1 R175 4 track Recorder

Rack 7

.DF Capability

AN/BRD-6

Rack B and 9

Manual Morse

HF/VHF to 160 MHZ

1 VLF Receiver CEI .351

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2 R.390 ' 1 narrow band !ecorder R175 (4 track) 2 FSK converters and patch capability to printers 1 typewriter

Rack 10, 11, and 12

EL INT

AN/WLR-1

Rack 13 and 14

Rack 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20

(b) ( 1 )

(b) (3 )-50 USC 403 (bl ( 3)°- £ USC 798 (b) (3) - P . L . 86 - 36

DOCID: 4062752 · 3E:CRE:OTh'COtv11t1T

Rack is, 16, 17, 18, 19 and,20

VHF /UT-IF ...... 1 ___ ___,~T~lemotry I .

VHF Pan/llfan Search 3¢-1¢¢¢ MHZ 11/dispaly Frequency converter and scope

I bi I 1 I lbJl31-50 use 4 03 I b I ( 3 I - 1 ';l I SC , ~

(b) (3)- .' . [., . il 6 --0 6

Notch filter, etc. . PPM Demodulater, Frequency converter (baseband translator) 2 Wideband Recorders 1 Narrowband Recorder R-31 Pan/l-la.n Search Capability with heads for 1-2 GG, 2-4 GG, 4-8 GG Lin/Log Receivers , 3 VHF Receivers w/SDU 1s (Telemetry) 1 2 -;<:: Receivers 1 2-4 GC Receivers 2 Down Converters (pre-de)

Rack 21

Narrow Band Recorder h \TrW Crystal Telemetry Receivers

Ancillary Equipment

Patchable from all applicable positions

Sonograph capability KAY 6¢6 Sulzor l'/5 PFG Time Displays Vicicorder Narrow 3and Recorder ( 15 KC)

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DOCID: 4062752 SECRETHCOMl~JT

Gist of NSA tasking

L.__I ----.---------:------:------1/ UHF Sch/Dev ( 1200-2000 MHZ)

/(bl (1 I .·(bl (3)- -, ( LI SC <! I, _?.

(bl (31- ' !JC '"/ c.jf (bl (3)- t' , L , % - 3 6

NKAF Corrans (20-50/100-150/MG (60-70) R105/S/9/401/'B/32.2)

5 ::=00 ::;:':'::.fR10l9~/702/308 ·:,•

ELINT Sch with emph on foll sigs and attempt to determine locations

~~~ ....... lolil.liil.ot-" asalbciated emitters B.3231, B.3.30Z1 G.302Z C.306A

A,312Z

C.31/+l

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Concept of Operations: . ·

USS Pueblo oi)erates under a concept of operations mutually agreed . .

·to by CNO and N.SA. The concept calls for five possible modes of operations,,

each having a varying degree of control. This particular patrol was

conducted in accordance with CINCPACFLT message 130406Z December 1967

which placed the ship under primary Navy control for coverage of Soviet

Naval activity in Tsushima Straits and KORCOM Naval activity in Sea ot

Japan •. Secondary (DIRNSA) collection requirement.a were solicited tor

this particular patrol and were provided as requested.

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KOREA

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DOCID: 4062752 SECRETHCOMl~JT

NSA Involvement:

On 6 December 1967, NSA requeste4 CINCPACFLT provide schedule

for trawler operations in the Pacific, to include dates, mod.es of '

operation and p~poee~ operational area. (Tab A ) CINCPACFLT

reepone~ on 13 December 1967 stated USS Pueblo would operate in

j b l (3)-P.L. 86-36

North Korea/Tsushima Straits area fran 5 Janua.ey to 5 February 1968. (Tab\ 8 )

On 20 Deceiiiber 1967, in response to a queey froml I

NSA provided some limited details on Pueblo operations and pointed out

that technical support material would be provided by NSA to arrive

prior to ships departure. (Tab C. )

On 29 December 1967, NSA forwarded collection requirement to

DIRNAVSECGRU for USS Pueblo (USN 467Y) .. (Tab t> )

NSA released two additional messages on 29.·necember 1967 - one

advised the SIGINT community or the proposed Pueblo operation and

requested they be especially alert and report any- reflections or North Korean reaction via appropriate product (Tab Jr. ) The

sevond message was p!.Ssed to JCS/JRC providing them with. some SIGINT

factors which could be used in assessing the risk to the platform,

pointing ~t that the North Koreans were extremel.1' sensitive to

peripheral reconnaissance in this specific area. (Tab F )

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DOCID: 4062752 SECRET •

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COMMAND nmroTIVES AND APPROVAL AUTHORIZATIONS

CINCPAC in a message to JCS on 23 Dec 67 requested authorization

to conduct PUEBLO operations during period 8 Jan-4 Feb 68 (Tab G). I

JCS/JRC subsequently approved the proposed operation on 2 Jan 68

(Tab H),

CTF 96 passed sailing orders to USS PUEBLO on 5 Jan 68 out-

lining operating area, communications and rules of engagement.

(Tab I). This was subsequently answered on 11 Jan 68 as ship

wa.S unavoidably delayed in Sa.sebo. (Tab J) •

Control of SIGINT activities is outlined in CINCPACFLT 29¢111Z

Sept 67 which states technical control of SIGINT functions vested in

DIRNSA. ( Tab K) •

II SECRET

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