Long Vowel u: u_e, ue / Long Vowel u: u_e, ue

'It is usually true that a long vowel "says its name." But the name of U begins with a consonant Y- sound which is often lost, because it is so difficult to pronounce after certain consonants, especially L and R.' quoted from Margaret M. Bishop, 'The ABC's and All Their Tricks', p.257.