The Lagvanec Lecture

Cyril Lagvanec, PhD, the curator of the American-Italian Research Library located on the second floor of the East Bank Regional Library, will give a lecture on two important naval incidents involving U.S. ships at 7 p.m., Monday, May 11, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie. 

The USS Liberty Incident, June 1967

The USS Liberty incident was an attack on a United States Navy technical research ship – a spy ship, the USS Liberty, by Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats, on June 8, 1967, during the Six Day War. The attack killed 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two marines, and one civilian NSA employee), wounded 171 crew members, and severely damaged the ship. Both the Israeli and United States governments conducted inquiries and issued reports that concluded the attack was a mistake due to Israeli confusion about the ship's identity.

The USS Pueblo Incident, January 1968 

The USS Pueblo is a Banner-class technical research ship placed into service during World War II, then converted to a spy ship in 1967 by the United States Navy. The ship gathered intelligence and oceanographic information, monitoring electronic and radio signals from North Korea. On January 23, 1968, the ship was attacked and captured by a North Korean vessel. Since 2013, the ship has been moored along the Pothonggang Canal in Pyongyang and is displayed as a museum ship at the Victorious War Museum. Pueblo is the only ship of the U.S. Navy still on the commissioned roster and held captive.

Cyril Lagvanec earned his undergraduate degree in history from Baylor University, his master’s degree in British and European History from Tulane University, and his doctoral degree in American History from Texas A&M University. Through his long career, Dr. Lagvanec has taught at Jesuit High School, Tulane, Loyola, Delgado, Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, East Carolina University, and Texas A&M. 

For more information regarding this event, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.

The Lagvanec Lecture usually occurs on the second Tuesday of each month unless there is a conflict such as a holiday. Cyril Lagvanec earned his undergraduate degree in history from Baylor University, his master’s degree in British and European History from Tulane University, and his doctoral degree in American History from Texas A&M University. Through his long career, Dr. Lagvanec has taught at Jesuit High School, Tulane, Loyola, Delgado, Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, East Carolina University, and Texas A&M.