-Brief Description-
The attack on USS Liberty, an unarmed United States Navy technical research ship, by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on June 8, 1967, in the middle of the Six-Day War.
USS Liberty was attacked by 2 unidentified delta-wing jet fighters, presumably Israeli Mirages, which made 6 strafing runs, using 30mm cannons, rockets and napalm. Overall USS Liberty took 821 hits from bombs, rockets, and cannon fire.
Coordinated with 3 Israeli motor torpedo boats, which launched 5 torpedoes at USS Liberty, 1 proving fatal killing 25 servicemen on board.
In all, 34 people on the ship were killed, and roughly another 170 were wounded.
Decades after the event, The Washington Post called it “one of the most bloody and bizarre peacetime encounters in U.S. naval history.”
Israel’s government claimed in the aftermath that there had been a communication lapse between its military personnel and that the men carrying out the attack had thought the Liberty was an enemy ship.
Lies
However, a number of U.S. military and intelligence officials have maintained over the years that the attack was deliberate, a view shared by most, if not all, USS Liberty survivors.
-How The Attack Played Out-
According to the CIA and Department Of State
All of below is copied from the CIA / Department Of State
Keep in mind that the events stated below don't exactly line up with the survivors stories, although they do acknowledge Israel's lies. Under this segment we will dive into how the attack really played out according to the survivors.
Washington, June 13, 1967.
THE ISRAELI ATTACK ON THE USS LIBERTY
The US Naval technical research ship Liberty was attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats off the Sinai Peninsula on 8 June. The following account of the circumstances of the attack has been compiled from all available sources.
1. The Liberty reported at 9:50 a.m. (2:50 a.m. Washington time) on 8 June that it had been orbited by two delta-wing jet fighters, presumably Israeli Mirages. At 3:05 p.m. (8:05 a.m.) the Liberty was strafed by unidentified jet aircraft. The Liberty apparently was not able to establish communications with other units of the US Sixth Fleet during the air attack, and the first information available to the US commanders was after the subsequent attack by unidentified torpedo boats, which occurred at 3:25 p.m.
2. At 4:11 p.m. (9:11 a.m.) the US Commander in Chief, Europe, notified the National Military Command Center in Washington that the Liberty was under attack and was listing to starboard after being struck by a torpedo. The Commander of the US Sixth Fleet declared the attacking units hostile and sent attack aircraft from the carriers America and Saratoga to protect the Liberty. A good part of the ship’s communications equipment was destroyed by the crew during the attack but emergency communications were soon established with the Saratoga and with the naval communications station in Greece. Because of the tenseness of the situation and the communications delays, the initial reports from the Liberty were sketchy and somewhat confusing.
Specifics of the Attack
3. According to these reports, however, the sequence of events took place as follows. The ship was attacked at 3:05 p.m. (8:05 a.m.) by [Page 470] unidentified jet fighters, believed to be Israeli, at position 31–35N, 33–29E. Six strafing runs were made by the jets. Twenty minutes later three torpedo boats closed at high speed and two of them launched torpedoes after first circling the Liberty. One torpedo passed astern, and the other struck the starboard side of the ship in the spaces occupied by the SIGINT collectors. One of the boats was later identified as Israeli and the hull number of one unit was noted as 206–T. Some 50 minutes later two Israeli helicopters arrived on the scene.
Israeli Identification of the Ship
4. None of the communications of the attacking aircraft and torpedo boats is available, but the intercepted conversations between the helicopter pilots and the control tower at Hatzor (near Tel Aviv) leave little doubt that the Israelis failed to identify the Liberty as a US ship before or during the attack. Control told (helicopter) 815 at 3:31 p.m. (8:31 a.m.) that “there is a warship there which we attacked. The men jumped into the water from it. You will try to rescue them.” Although there were other references to a search for the men in the water and although US units later searched the area, no survivors were recovered from the sea, nor were there any indications that any of the 22 missing personnel from the Liberty had been lost overboard.
5. A subsequent message from the control tower to the helicopter identified the ship as Egyptian and told the pilot to return home. Although the Liberty is some 200 feet longer than the Egyptian transport El Quesir, it could easily be mistaken for the latter vessel by an overzealous pilot. Both ships have similar hulls and arrangements of masts and stack.
6. The weather was clear in the area of attack, the Liberty’s hull number (GTR 5) was prominently displayed, and an American flag was flying. The helicopter pilot was then urgently requested to identify the survivors as Egyptian or English speaking (this being the first indication that the Israelis suspected they may have attacked a neutral ship). The helicopter pilot reported seeing an American flag on the Liberty. In another intercept between an unidentified Israeli controller and the helicopter number 815, the pilot reported that number GTR 5 was written on the ship’s side. The controller told the pilot the number had no significance.
7. Thus it was not until 4:12 p.m. (9:12 a.m.) that the Israelis became convinced that the Liberty was American. This was about 44 minutes after the last attack on the ship and the attack had apparently been called off, not because the ship had been identified, but because it seemed to be sinking. (The US Defense Attaché in Tel Aviv reports that Israeli helicopters and the three torpedo boats searched the area until 6:04 p.m. (11:04 a.m.).) The Israeli offer of assistance was declined [Page 471] because of the sensitive mission of the ship. According to US Navy reports, the ship was saved only through the efforts of her crew.
Damage and Personnel Losses
8. The ship suffered heavy material and personnel casualties. A hole estimated to be 39 feet wide at the bottom and 24 feet wide at the top near the waterline was opened by a torpedo. The ship is flooded below the second deck between frames 52 and 78 (36-inch frame spacing). The crew carried out emergency destruction of classified communications and radar equipment, but the ship’s engineering plant is intact. Several flash fires and cannon holes throughout the superstructure caused some minor damage and the ship’s motor whale boat and virtually all of its life rafts were lost. Personnel casualties include 10 killed, 90 wounded, and 22 missing, most of whom were probably trapped in the flooded compartments. The wounded and the dead have been removed from the ship and some additional crew members put aboard. The ship is expected to arrive in Malta on 14 June for dry docking and hull repairs. Security precautions are being taken to protect the classified intercept equipment in the flooded spaces. The US Navy has convened a board of inquiry to look into the incident.
The Ship and Its Orders
9. The USS Liberty is a converted Victory class merchant ship utilized as a SIGINT collector. The unit had moved from its normal station off West Africa to provide additional SIGINT coverage of the Middle East crisis. Official US statements, however, have described the Liberty as an electronics research ship which had been diverted to the crisis area to act as a radio relay station for US embassies.
10. The Liberty sailed from Rota, Spain, on 2 June under orders to patrol no closer than 12.5 miles of the UAR coast and 6.5 miles of the Israeli coast. A modification of orders issued by the Commander of the US Sixth Fleet at 12:17 p.m. (5:17 a.m.) on 8 June had not been received aboard the Liberty, according to the ship’s commanding officer, before the Israeli attack. This change, together with messages from other commands which ordered the Liberty to approach no closer than 100 miles of the coasts of the UAR and Israel and 25 miles of the coast of Cyprus, was delayed in transmission in part because of a misunderstanding of responsibilities for delivery.
11. At annex is a listing of events in chronological order.
Annex
CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS
(Stated times are local; Washington times in parentheses)
2 June 1967 | Liberty departed Rota, Spain en route to position 32–00N, 33–00E, to remain 12.5 miles from Egyptian coast and 6.5 miles from Israeli coast. |
8 June 2:50 a.m. (7 June 7:50 p.m.) | CINCUSNAVEUR Duty Officer received phone instructions from Joint Reconnaissance Center directing Liberty to comply with COMSIXTHFLEET 100-mile operating area restriction. |
8 June 9:50 a.m. (2:50 a.m.) | Liberty was orbited by two unidentified delta wing single engine jet fighters, presumably Israeli Mirages. |
8 June 12:17 p.m. (5:17 a.m.) | COMSIXTHFLEET orders Liberty at least 100 miles away from coast of UAR and Israel and 25 miles from Cyprus. This message apparently not received by Liberty prior to Israeli attack. |
8 June 3:05 p.m. (8:05 a.m.) | Liberty attacked by unidentified jet fighters which made six strafing runs. Ship at position 31–35.5N 33–29.0E (25 miles northeast of nearest land). |
8 June 3:25 p.m. (8:25 a.m.) | Three torpedo boats, one identified as Israeli, approach ship. One boat bore number 206–T. |
8 June 3:27 p.m. (8:27 a.m.) | Liberty fires at torpedo boat at range of 2,000 yards. |
8 June 3:28 p.m. (8:28 a.m.) | Ship hit by torpedo. Torpedo boats cleared to east about five miles. |
8 June 3:30 p.m. (8: 30 a.m.) | COMSIXTHFLEET reports Liberty hit by torpedo at position 31–23N, 33–25E. Three unidentified gunboats approaching. |
8 June 3:31 p.m. (8:31 a.m.) | Hatzor air control (near Tel Aviv) told helicopters (two) to try to rescue men who had jumped into the water from “warship which we attacked.” |
8 June 3:34 p.m. (8:34 a.m.) | Israeli helicopter identified ship as “definitely Egyptian.” Helicopters ordered back to base. |
8 June 3:39 p.m. (8:39 a.m.) | Hatzor control told helicopter to rescue men. |
8 June 3:50 p.m. (8:50 a.m.) | COMSIXTHFLEET orders carriers to provide air cover for Liberty. |
8 June 3:52 p.m. (8:52 a.m.) | Liberty reported under attack to COMSIXTH-FLEET. |
8 June 3:55 p.m. (8:55 a.m.) | Liberty reported hit by torpedo starboard side (National Security Agency (NSA) follow-up to Critic, probably a delayed report). |
8 June 3:55 p.m. (8:55 a.m.) | Two Israeli helicopters orbited ship at range of 500 yards. Israeli torpedo boats offered assistance which was refused. |
8 June 3:59 p.m. (8:59 a.m.) | Liberty still under air attack (NSA follow-up to Critic). |
8 June 3:59 p.m. (8:59 a.m.) | Hatzor control told helicopter to clarify the nationality of the first man he brings up. |
8 June 4:02 p.m. (9:02 a.m.) | Helicopter reports (to Haztor) a big ship and three small ships about a mile from the helicopter. (This places the torpedo boats about eight miles from Liberty.) |
8 June 4:07 p.m. (9:07 a.m.) | Hatzor told helicopters if men were Egyptians to take them to El Arish; if they spoke English and were not Egyptians, to take them to Lydda. |
8 June 4:10 p.m. (9:10 a.m.) | Haztor told helicopter again to clarify nationality. (It appears from the obvious importance of this question that the Israelis suspected they may have hit an American or British and not an Egyptian ship.) |
8 June 4:10 p.m. (9:10 a.m.) | Hull number of Liberty seen by Israeli helicopter pilot who did not recognize significance. |
8 June 4:12 p.m. (9:12 a.m.) | Hatzor asked helicopter, “Did it clearly signal an American flag?” and later requested helicopter to make another pass and check again whether it was really an American flag. |
8 June 4:16 p.m. (9:16 a.m.) | Hatzor orders helicopters to return to El Arish. |
8 June 5:14 p.m. (10:14 a.m.) | Tel Aviv reports Israeli aircraft and patrol boats attacked ship at 3:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m.) at position 31–25N, 33–33E. Suspecting a U.S. ship, Israel rendering assistance and expresses deep regret. |
8 June 6:04 p.m. (11:04 a.m.) | The US Defense Attaché in Tel Aviv reports that Israeli helicopters and the three torpedo boats searched the area until 6:04 p.m. (11:04 a.m.). The Israeli offer of assistance was declined because of the sensitive mission of the ship. COMSIXTHFLEET then recalled the aircraft launched from the carriers America and Saratoga and sent two destroyers to assist Liberty. Liberty proceeding north-west at eight knots. There was no further contact between Liberty and Israeli forces. Two Soviet ships have trailed the Liberty, which proceeds under escort to Malta. |
Safe Download Or View The Document On CIA.Gov Link Below
-How The Attack Really Played Out-
According to the survivors
June 8, 1967, marks a pivotal moment in American history, shrouded in controversy and deception. The USS Liberty, a U.S. Navy surveillance ship, was stationed off the Sinai Peninsula during the Six-Day War.
What unfolded next has been disputed for decades.
Below, James Ennes Speaks On Behalf Of ALL The Survivors
USS Liberty: Eyewitness Account
by James Ennes
Mr. Ennes was an officer on the bridge of the USS Liberty during the 1967 attack and is the author of Assault on the Liberty (Random House, 1980; Ballantine, 1986).
The sky was clear over the eastern Mediterranean when I assumed the forenoon watch as officer-of-the-deck on the bridge of the USS Liberty.
The sea surface rippled slightly from a warm, seven-knot breeze as we headed south, sometimes as close as 13 miles from the Israeli and Egyptian coastlines, but always in uncontested international waters.
This was June 8, 1967, the fourth day of the third great Arab-Israeli war, soon to be known as the Six Day War. From here it was hard to realize that men were dying.
Along with the two lookouts on the signal bridge above me, I strained for some visible sign of warfare, but could see none. Except for an occasional low-flying airplane and, later, an explosion and smoky fire in the coastal village of El Arish, the scene seemed placid.
Officially, the Liberty was a "technical research ship," a 455-foot, 10,000 ton "mobile base for research in communications and electromagnetic radiation." However, newsmen and governments everywhere knew "research" as a pseudonym for "intelligence." To them we were an electronic "spy ship." Below deck, over 100 men with earphones, sensitive radio receivers and recording equipment all listened to radio communications ashore.
Our country was officially neutral in this war. Israel--widely considered America's best friend in the area--controlled the sky and most of the ground. Since before midnight, we had been circled regularly by Israeli warplanes, so we were certain the Israelis knew who we were. Some of the Israeli airplanes came so close that sailors waved to the pilots and could see the pilots waving back.
Like any Navy ship, we flew our standard five-foot by eight-foot American flag. For extra safety, I ordered our wind-town flag replaced by a new one, whose bright, clean colors would be even easier to see. Our five-knot patrol speed directly into the wind gave us 12 knots across the flag, enough to display the colors clearly.
After a brief noon-hour lunch break, I returned to the bridge for a general quarters exercise.
During the noon hour, two more low-flying Israeli aircraft circled the ship, their Star of David markings clearly visible. Immediately, our senior radio intercept chief appeared at my side. "No sweat, Sir," he said quietly. "We heard them telling their headquarters by radio that we are an American ship."
"Be alert," Capt. William McGonagle warned over the ship's general announcing system, clearly unimpressed by the fact that the aircraft seemed friendly."Respond quickly to all emergencies. We are operating near a very hot war where anything can happen." We knew that was true, but now most Liberty crewmen felt that we were out of danger.
When the drill ended an hour later, off-duty men filed onto the sun-drenched weather decks with towels and swimming trunks. We began to look more like a passenger liner than a naval vessel.
Meanwhile, on the bridge, Lt. Lloyd Painter had assumed control of the ship. Almost immediately, he received an urgent report from radar: "Three high-speed surface craft approaching from starboard quarter, bearing 280, range 16 miles, speed 32 knots."
Painter glanced at the bridge radar repeater and called McGonagle: "Captain, you gotta look at this. I never saw anything move so fast!"
Then another report from radar: "Three high performance aircraft, same range and bearing, closing fast."
Despite the urgent reports, no one was alarmed. By now we had been reconnoitered eight times in daylight by Israeli aircraft, and this looked like another routine visit.
I summoned Chuck Rowley, a cryptologic technician who also served as the ship's photographer, and together we climbed one deck to the signal bridge, the ship's highest platform, to try to take some pictures of the approaching aircraft.
"Look out," someone yelled suddenly. "He's shooting!" Men scrambled for cover, but it was too late. The lead airplane had made a 180-degree turn and was approaching from dead ahead, all guns blazing. Exposed men felt heat, surprise and confusion as two dozen or more rockets from the airplane tore large holes in the heavy deck plating below us. Sunbathers ran nakedly for safety, while men in the gun mounts received direct hits that threw them high into the air.
All the men around me dropped, many badly hurt by rocket fragments. I was thrown against a railing and remained standing on one leg, my left leg broken above the knew by a tiny rocket fragment.
Captain McGonagle, although badly wounded early in the attack, ignored his own wounds. He raced around the bridge defending the ship, directing messages to our seniors, and coordinating the efforts to survive. Once I saw him walk through a wall of flame, ignoring rocket and cannon fire and even napalm as he fought to protect his ship. His performance earned him a well-deserved Medal of Honor.
Chief Radioman Wayne Smith sent an SOS to the Sixth Fleet by radio, but found his frequencies blocked by buzzsaw-like jamming signals.
In nine minutes he found a clear frequency, on which the carrier Saratoga acknowledged receipt of his authenticated call for help. Immediately, the carrier sent 12 aircraft to our rescue, but for reasons never explained, this same aircraft were recalled by orders from Washington while we were still under attack.
When our regular flag was shot down, Signalman Joe Meadors and Quartermaster Francis Brown hauled up an oversize seven-foot by 13-foot flag. Still the attack continued.
The helmsman fell. Quartermaster Francis Brown took the wheel and died there. Ens. David Lucas helped move Brown's body, then took the wheel himself.
When gasoline stored on deck burst into flame, Lt. Cmdr. Philip Armstrong tried to release the burning drums into the sea; the effort cost him his life.
When the ship's doctor, Richard Kiepfer, spotted two helplessly wounded men on deck, he tucked a man under each arm and carried them through gunfire to safety.
Every man outdid himself, and still the attack continued. Twenty-five minutes into the attack, the torpedo boats, sighted earlier, reached firing range. The aircraft pulled away. Russell David rechecked the oversize flag, saw it flying freely, and then switched on a 12-inch signal lamp. "USS LIBERTY, U.S. NAVY SHIP," he flashed to the approaching boats until he was hit by gunfire and his lamp disabled.
"Stand by for torpedo attack, starboard side, "warned the bridge. In the main engine room, Lt. George Golden took over several jobs at once as he ordered his men to safer ground, expecting to die here. McGonagle saw a torpedo pass close astern. A near miss.
Petty Officer Rick Aimetti heard one pass below him, "sounding like a motorboat," as he stood near the forecastle. Two more torpedoes passed safely, unseen.
A fifth torpedo, apparently launched from a mere 550 yards, made a direct hit on the ship's intelligence spaces. Twenty-five fine young men died instantly. Liberty assumed a heavy list to starboard as the engines stopped and part of the ship filled with water.
The torpedo boats, meanwhile, circled the ship, firing on firefighters and anything that seemed to move. Soon the general announcing system echoed the order that every sailor dreads: "Prepare to abandon ship." Rubber rafts dropped into the water, but the torpedo boas moved closer and fired upon the empty rafts.
Lloyd Painter, who had helped move wounded men near the lifeboat stations, now helped move them back below, away from the still-marauding torpedomen. Finally the firing stopped, 75 minutes after it started, possibly because of the threatened arrival of Sixth Fleet air power.
Still another hour passed. Then the torpedomen moved closer to the ship and signalled: "DO YOU NEED HELP?" The reply was a rude one. Thirty-four men were dead or dying, 171 wounded, from a 294-man crew.
In a National Security Council meeting attended by President Lyndon B. Johnson the next day, top government officials complained bitterly. It is "inconceivable that this was an accident," said Clark Clifford, then Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board Chairman, as he complained about the "egregious manner" of the Israelis. "We're not tough enough," he said.
"Senators are outraged," added Secretary of State Dean Rusk. "Incomprehensible," said Assistant Secretary Lucius Battle. The next day our government lashed out at Israel. "There is every reason to believe that the USS Liberty was identified," our government said. "The attack . . . is quite literally incomprehensible (and) must be condemned as an act of military recklessness reflecting wanton disregard for human life."
But the complaints were not for public knowledge. Publicly, our government pretended to believe the Israeli story that the attack was an accident. Privately, steps were taken to assure that the truth never reached the American public.
One of the first messages to arrive from Washington instructed survivors to discuss the attack with no one. Courts of inquiry were being held in both countries, and both reports would be swathed in secrecy. The American report, except for a declassified segment released to the press, remained top secret until forced out nine years later under the freedom of Information Act. Its testimony reveals most of the scenario described here.
The Israeli report remains classified today, withheld from Americans at the request of the Israeli government, although a copy was leaked in 1980. That report informs American government leaders that the attack was a tragic result of a series of errors on both sides.
According to the Israelis, torpedomen investigating an erroneous report of a shore bombardment erroneously judged Liberty's actual five-knot speed to be 32 knots; because of the misjudged high speed, torpedomen erroneously classified Liberty as an enemy warship and called in the aircraft; attacking aircraft conducted three, low-level, pre-attack identification runs, but erroneously concluded that the target was an Arab warship when they failed to see her flag or the ten-foot hull numbers on her bow; torpedo boats also failed to see the oversize flag hauled up as they approached and asked the ship to identify itself; Liberty refused, according to the Israelis, and sent a signal meaning "Identify yourself first."
Extensive morning and noon-hour pre-attack reconnaissance described by crewmen "may be dismissed as exaggerated," says the Israeli government, which denies any such reconnaissance--even though every flight is fully documented in American records.
For years Liberty survivors and other interested Americans have asked both governments to reinvestigate the matter in order to resolve the discrepancies between what survivors say happened and what the Israeli government has reported. So far, they have been ignored. But now there is powerful support for survivors' claims that the attack was no accident.
Secretary Rusk, once a private citizen and free to speak out, said simply, "I have never believed the Israeli explanation."
Former National Security Agency Director Gen. Marshall Carter told me by telephone that he believes the Israelis knew the ship was American. His deputy, Dr. Louis Tordella, adds, "I believe it was a deliberate attack."
Former Central Intelligence Agency Director Richard Helms agrees. "To say that this was an accident is drawing a pretty long bow in view of the evidence," says Helms.
And former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Adm. Thomas Moorer states his case even more strongly: "It's ridiculous to say this was an accident. There was good weather, she was flying the U.S. flag and the planes and torpedo boats attacked over a long period of time. I think Congress should investigate the incident, even now.
Even President Johnson's press secretary, George Christian, now reports that no one in the White House believed that the attack was accidental. And every year more evidence unfolds to show that the attack was indeed deliberate and that both governments are covering it up. For instance, a State Department report, recently released, shows that our government analyzed the Israeli excuse in 1967 and rejected every key contention as untrue, impossible or unlikely.
Yet the Israeli government never was asked to explain the discrepancies. Officially, the USS Liberty matter is closed. To all appearances, it will remain closed forever, because no government agency is prepared to take the political risk of re-examining the evidence.
It deserves to be re-examined.
Copied From:
-Statements From Survivors Of USS Liberty-
A Deliberate Attack:
Survivors and officials refute Israel's "mistaken identity" claim.
Captain William McGonagle, USS Liberty's commanding officer, stated,
"I can't accept the Israeli explanation that it was an accident. It was a deliberate attack. They knew we were American. They knew we were a ship. They knew we were not Egyptian. And they knew we were not participating in any war.
Lieutenant Commander David Lewis, the ship's operations officer, echoed this sentiment:
"There was no mistake. We were flying the American flag. We were in international waters. We were not participating in any war. We were not shipping arms. We were not shipping supplies. We were simply a ship doing our job, and they attacked us. ...I was on the bridge when the attack started. I saw the Israeli aircraft. I saw the rockets. I saw the napalm. I saw the torpedoes. And I saw the flag. Our flag was flying. ...It's ridiculous to suggest that the Israelis didn't know we were American. It's ridiculous to suggest that they thought we were an Egyptian ship. We were flying the American flag. We had American markings on the ship. We had American equipment on the ship. ...The attack lasted 75 minutes. It was a sustained attack. It was a deliberate attack. And it was an attack on the United States of America."
Admiral Thomas Moorer, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concurred:
"That the attack was deliberate may be the most important factor. It's incomprehensible to me that Israel would attack an American ship, knowing it was American, without prior clearance from Washington. I believe the Israeli attack was deliberate. ...The Israelis claimed deconfliction agreements with the U.S. were in place, but no evidence supports this. Our ships were clearly identified as American. The Liberty displayed large American flags and markings. ...I firmly believe the Israeli military knew the Liberty was American and given the strategic value of the intelligence it was collecting, Israel had a strong motive to silence it."
Ignoring Warnings:
Israel was aware of the USS Liberty's presence. NSA intercepts revealed Israeli pilots identifying the ship as American.
Admiral Lawrence Geis, USS Liberty's task force commander, confirmed,
"I can tell you that the Israelis knew we were there. They knew we were operating in the area. They knew we were collecting intelligence. And they knew we were American. ...I was the commander of Task Force 60, which included the USS Liberty. We had informed the Israelis of our presence and location. We had also informed them of our mission. ...The Israelis claimed they thought the Liberty was an Egyptian ship, the El Quseir. However, this is absolutely untrue. We had already informed them of our presence, and they knew we were American."
U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Walworth Barbour, also acknowledged Israel's knowledge of the ship's location.
Unrelenting Assault:
The attack lasted 75 minutes, killing 34 crew members and wounding 171. Survivors describe the intensity of the assault.
Petty Officer Terry Halbardier recalled,
"I was on the deck when the attack started. Bombs were exploding everywhere... It was like a nightmare. I saw guys running, screaming, and trying to get away from the explosions. I saw the ship taking hits, and I knew we were in trouble. ...I remember thinking, 'This can't be happening.' I thought we were safe, that we were just doing our job. But then I saw the Israeli planes, and I knew we were under attack. ...I was lucky to make it out alive. I saw some of my friends, my shipmates, get killed or wounded. It was a terrible day. ...I don't understand why Israel attacked us. We were just doing our job, collecting intelligence. We weren't a threat to anyone."
Lieutenant James Ennes, USS Liberty's officer, added,
"The attack lasted 75 minutes. It was an eternity. We were helpless. We couldn't defend ourselves. We were outnumbered, outgunned, and outmaneuvered. ...The Israeli planes came in wave after wave, dropping napalm, rockets, and strafing us with machine guns. We were hit by torpedo boats, and our ship was taking on water. ...I saw men burned alive, screaming in agony. I saw others blown apart, their bodies shredded by shrapnel. ...We were defenseless. We couldn't even return fire. Our radios were jammed, and our cryptographers were unable to send out distress signals. ...It was a nightmare that seemed to never end. 75 minutes of pure hell."
Survivor Joe Meadors vividly remembered,
"I was on the bridge when the attack started. I saw sailors blown apart, their bodies shredded by shrapnel. It was horrific. I saw guys with severe burns, screaming in agony. ...The Israeli planes came in so low, I could see the pilots' faces. They were strafing us with machine guns, dropping napalm, and firing rockets. ...I remember thinking, 'This is it. We're going to sink.' The ship was taking on water, and we were listing severely. ...I saw Lieutenant Commander David Lewis, our operations officer, trying to coordinate a defense. But it was useless. We were outgunned and outnumbered. ...The attack lasted 75 minutes, but it felt like an eternity. I thought I was going to die. ...Even now, I get flashbacks. The sounds, the smells, the screams... it's etched in my memory forever."
Survivor Phil Tourney President Of The USS Liberty Veterans Association
Eyewitness Account: Phil Tourney, a US Navy Petty Officer, was on board the USS Liberty when it was attacked by Israeli forces on June 8, 1967. He provides a firsthand account of the events, including the surveillance by Israeli jets and radar, the torpedo attack, and the subsequent damage control efforts.
Book: “What I Saw That Day”: Tourney wrote a book titled “What I Saw That Day: Israel’s June 8, 1967 Holocaust of US Servicemen Aboard the USS Liberty and its Aftermath”. The book is an eyewitness report of the attack and its aftermath, including the cover-up and sabotage within the Liberty Veterans’ Association.
Survivor’s Perspective: Tourney’s account emphasizes the deliberate nature of the attack, contradicting the official Israeli claim of “mistaken identity.” He describes the trauma and outrage he and his fellow survivors experienced, as well as the subsequent attempts to suppress the truth about the incident.
Critique of Official Investigations: Tourney’s book and interviews criticize the official investigations into the incident, including the US and Israeli inquiries, which he believes were inadequate and misleading. He argues that the truth about the attack has been systematically covered up.
Conspiracy Theories: Tourney’s accounts also touch on conspiracy theories surrounding the USS Liberty incident, including allegations of Israeli involvement in the September 11 attacks and the demolition of the World Trade Center.
Gag Order and Cover-Up:
Survivors were silenced by the U.S. government. USS Liberty crew members were ordered not to discuss the incident.
Admiral John McCain, Jr. (Sen. John McCain's father) instructed, "The USS Liberty incident should be buried."
Secretary of State Dean Rusk admitted, "We didn't want to embarrass Israel."
Survivor Larry L. Bowen statement, via The Michigan Daily.
Legacy of Betrayal:
Survivors seek recognition and justice.
The USS Liberty Veterans Association demands, "We want the truth told."
Survivor Ernie Gallo lamented, "Our country abandoned us... We want accountability."
Former Congressman Paul Findley condemned the cover-up as "a national disgrace."
Declassified Documents and Investigations:
The USS Liberty incident has been investigated by multiple congressional committees. Declassified documents reveal inconsistencies in Israel's account.
The 1967 Navy Court of Inquiry's findings were disputed by survivors.
The Moorer Report, commissioned by Admiral Moorer, concluded that the attack was deliberate.
The USS Liberty attack remains a dark chapter in American history, marked by deception and betrayal. Survivors' testimonies and declassified documents contradict Israel's "friendly fire" claim. It is time to acknowledge the truth and honor the memories of those lost. Sources: USS Liberty Veterans Association National Security Archive documents Congressional Records and Hearings Interviews with USS Liberty survivors "Assault on the Liberty" by James Ennes
The Moorer Report
The War Crimes Report they filed lists allegations of acts committed during the attack on our ship, including:
The jamming of our radios on both US Navy tactical and international maritime distress frequencies;
The use of unmarked aircraft by the forces attacking the USS Liberty;
The deliberate machine gunning of life rafts we had dropped over the side in anticipation of abandoning ship;
And the recall of two flights of rescue aircraft that had been launched from Sixth Fleet aircraft carriers. After those flights were recalled, Sixth Fleet personnel listened to our calls for help as the attack continued knowing they were forbidden to come to our assistance.
Sources:
USS Liberty Veterans Association
National Security Archive documents
Congressional Records and Hearings Interviews with USS Liberty survivors
The Moorer Report
"Assault on the Liberty" by James Ennes
-Conclusion On Why Israel Attacked USS Liberty-
Based on the evidence and historical context, I believe Israel attacked the USS Liberty to conceal its war crimes, particularly the Ras Sedr massacre, the El Arish massacre and to manipulate the United States into engaging in a conflict with Egypt.
The USS Liberty, a surveillance ship, was intercepting communications that could have exposed Israel's actions, including the killing of 1,000 Egyptian prisoners of war at Ras Sedr, and El Arish. Israel sought to eliminate the Liberty to maintain secrecy.
Moreover, Israel aimed to orchestrate a false flag operation, making it appear as though Egypt had attacked the USS Liberty. This would have drawn the United States into a war with Egypt, aligning with Israel's strategic objectives.
This catastrophic scenario (which would have inevitably started WW3) was narrowly averted due to the Liberty's survival and the subsequent exposure of Israel's involvement.
Key factors supporting this conclusion include:
1. Timing: The attack occurred during the Six-Day War, when Israel sought to expand its territory. To be precise exactly the same day as the Ras Sedr massacre, and the El Arish massacre.
2. Targeting: The Liberty was specifically targeted, despite clearly displaying American flags and markings.
3. Communication interception: Israel jammed all of USS Liberty's radio communications to the nearby United States Sixth Fleet. This alone proves that Israel knew USS Liberty was an American ship, as the radio frequencies Israel intercepted and jammed are used by the American Navy.
4. False flag intentions: Israel's actions suggest an attempt to frame Egypt.
5. U.S. military plans: Documented evidence shows the United States prepared nuclear-armed fighter jets for deployment against Egypt.
Sources:
- "Assault on the Liberty" by James Ennes, Jr. (1979)
- "The Liberty Incident Revealed" by Robert J. Hanks (2011) - National Security Archive documents
- "The Attack on the Liberty" by James Scott (2009)
This conclusion underscores the significance of the USS Liberty incident, highlighting the dangers of unchecked military actions and the importance of transparency in international relations.
Image 1 - The Guardian, "The Cover Up"
Image 2 - Wikipedia, "Ras Sedr massacre"
Image 3 - Wikipedia, "El Arish massacre"
Image 4 - Haaretz, "But Sir, It’s an American Ship.' 'Never Mind, Hit Her!"
'Israel Acknowledges USS Liberty As American'
For further insight regarding the USS Liberty attack from the survivors perspective, please watch the documentary and the statements of war crimes that they have put together below...
Bonus Videos By Al Jazeera, Ken O'Keefe And GDF Too...
-USS Liberty Survivors: Our Story-
USS LIBERTY SURVIVORS: OUR STORY tells the American side of the USS Liberty incident through the eyewitness accounts of the survivors. It may be the only video account of the story free from the Orwellian doublespeak that has obscured the events since 1967.
This documentary contains interviews shot at reunions of the USS Liberty crew and slides and film footage collected from US Navy archives and private sources.
This video captures the intensity of men of action as they recall a time long ago when they shared the experience of being under hostile fire and the passion of the same men who are now committed to seeing that their story is told.
-GDF, How Israel Cucked the United States-
-Al Jazeera, The Day Israel Attacked America-
-Candace Owens, A Personal Announcement: With Phil Tourney-
-Ken O'Keefe On The USS Liberty Attack-
-Articles Published By/For The USS Liberty Survivors-
-USS Liberty Survivors Statements/Accounts On Israeli War Crimes-
-USS Liberty: Eyewitness Account-
by James Ennes
-USS Liberty survivor Joe Meadors response to PA lawmakers' letter-
-Ex-Navy Official: 1967 Israeli Attack on U.S. Ship Was Deliberate-