SIGINT is, and has always been, a quietly dangerous business for the collectors.
On 8 June 1967, during the Six Day War, Israeli Mystere and Mirage aircraft along with torpedo boats attacked the USS Liberty (AGTR-5) which was conducting intelligence collection missions in Eastern Mediterranean.
33 US military personnel and one NSA civilian were killed and 171 were injured. The Liberty, a converted WWII “Victory Ship”, was so badly damaged that it was scrapped after being limped to a drydock in Malta.
Rather than dwell on the political aspects, let us remember the sacrifice of men in an unglamorous but critical job.
USS Liberty was intercepting Israeli radio traffic. Liberty determined the Israelis had executed a preemptive strike against Egyptian airfields. The returning Israeli strike aircraft attempted to act as attacking Egyptian aircraft. The Israelis knew what Liberty was doing. They attacked it under the guise of mistaken identity even though the US flag and Liberty’s ID number were prominently displayed.
The Israelis murdered 34 Americans and wounded 172 that day. They were not then and are not now, friends nor allies. The Israelis have cost this country dearly in both blood and treasure over the last 60 years. The sooner the USA says goodbye to Israel, the better off we will be.
To not acknowledge the intentional, Israeli attack on USS Liberty is a disservice to the murdered, maimed and surviving crewmembers and NSA personnel, that day, 8 JUN 67.
The loss of American life was tragic but these were wartime casulties. Israel remains an ally. It isnt Israel you object to its Jews, who and what you are is clear
I see no anti-Semitic statements from Dan III, only calling out a hostile nation for what it is.
Gerard, stop being a simpleton. Name calling by not saying it is exactly a tactic to shut down opinion and this case there is plenty of evidence. Just because a “Frienemy” like Israel has a lot of detractors, it is not antisemitism to be skeptic of their motives and past actions. Think about that!
Dan III is spot on.
So if I criticize Mugabe or Zuma, I’m racist and if I criticize the behavior of the Chinese, I’m zenophobic and if I slur Merkel, I’m a Germanophobe.
Try to address the merits of the argument, the anti-Semitism train is old and tired.
Gods, the level of rational discourse has descended mightily.
The attack on the USSLIBERTY (AGTR-5) by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) stands to this day as the only major maritime naval disaster in United States history which has not be en accorded a full, comprehensive and impartial investigation by Congress.
I didn’t know about this.
Thank you for the info as well DAN III, it sounded very strange when I was reading the article and I guessed that it was probably something along the lines of what you described.
Very sad.
Some people say the US never had any allies in the Middle East until the formation of Israel. However if you think about it, we never had any enemies in the Middle East until the formation of Israel either.
Quite a few Arab nations sided with the Nazis during WWII, so I wouldn’t consider that statement accurate. Not to mention the Ottoman Empire’s role in WWI.
A friend of my fathers son was killed on the liberty. I wonder how he felt about the Israeli actions that day…..
this is a tragedy, but terrible blue on blue tragedies happen in war. there is no real evidence that it was a deliberate attack on the U.S. it would have been insane for the israeli leadership, after losing france’s sponsorship, to turn against the U.S., her only ally left.
Dude, and I mean it as friendly as I can make it. There is plenty of evidence the Israel knew it was our ship, we didn’t just arrive on station that day without letting them know! The Blue on Blue you mention is priceless! B on B refers to US forces on US Forces, or another country on themselves. Israel would be considered “green” as in not our organic forces, more a partner force. And an Ally! Wow, you must really drink the Kool-aid where your at. Israel does plenty of shady shit with nations that we don’t consider Allies, They re-sell our tech to China or India or whoever. You know how to use a computer otherwise you wouldn’t of posted on this site. Do yourself a favor and research some of this. Hell, you might even learn something!
Sir, I watched a interview with the Captain-he said it was deliberate
Regards
Richard
The Captain of the USS Liberty received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the attack.
“TAKE the “LIBERTY” NOT TO FORGET”
The USS Liberty did not deserve the assault she received.
The Israeli’s were waiting to destroy her, their right, they believed.
They knew she was a US ship that could not fight a combat war.
Their Mirage fighters showed the aggression for our sailors they bore.
Why they did it, why they killed so many American sailors that day
They would never really explain and were never made to pay.
They deliberately fired on our ship, with our flag flying as she sailed.
No one was held accountable; no one ever went to jail.
Where were our forces, that could have come to the Liberty’s aid that day?
Why did they wait for over 90 minutes in their carrier, hangar bay?
Even after they had launched the fighters, they were called back.
How does McNamara stand today without the spine he allegedly lacked?
It’s been said the Israeli’s meant to put the Liberty on the ocean floor.
Blame it on the Egyptians, maybe the US would join their desert war.
Maybe we’d attack Cairo for its alleged dastardly crime.
Had it worked, the Israeli’s would have changed history’s time line.
If the Liberty had sunk, we would have joined Israel’s fight.
It was not enough, we gave them money and our best technical might.
They wanted us killing “their” enemies with the ferocity they espoused
By putting our sailors in coffins, forever to be housed.
Don’t send hate mail about some misguided anti-Semite.
U.S. citizens, of any religion, have their constitutional rights.
Rise to strike any and all of whom might threaten an American.
Israel cannot be allowed the killing of our sailors, just because they can.
Israel is not alone in accountability for this floating slaughter-yard.
Some of our own ran and hid, when the politics got too hard.
No way were we going to war over the deaths of some U.S. sailor-boys.
Once again, we were the puppets of an Israeli sanctioned ploy.
The State of Israel has the justifiable right to survive.
It’s a tiny nation, forever under their enemy’s watchful eye.
We are not their enemy; we are the best friend they will every get.
But what about those 34 sailors, whose lives were so cruelly, forfeit?
Hah, Hah LBJ, how many sailors did you let die that day?
How many sailors would never return to their children to play?
How many careers were threatened, that to talk would be destroyed?
We would not wage war on our alleged “friend”, over 34 dead sailor-boys.
The ship’s Captain received the Medal of Honor, in a back-office gloom.
It would not be done in the White House, with the press, in the East Room.
We did not want to offend our “ally” or send the wrong message out.
Neither, LBJ nor McNamara were seen that day skulking about.
There has to be a reckoning for what was done to our American ship.
Despite the Israeli’s best efforts, the Liberty remained a radar blip.
When the last rounds were fired at her, the Liberty still rode the wave.
We must account for our wounded, of our dead, and for our brave.
It is not over by a long shot; we can’t let this travesty rest.
We demand a reckoning of our lost comrades, for our military’s future best.
Some day the full story of the Liberty will be revealed.
For its survivors, the truth will finally be forever unsealed.
We buried another veteran today.
It seems, all my life, it has happened this way.
This time it was our sailors, to their God they were released.
I pray there comes the day, that brings Liberty families final peace.
Major Van Harl USAF Ret.
16 November 2003
Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
Wow, well done Sir..well done
Eric;
I am pleased you put this up. This is something that should never be forgotten.
The big city which I live did not mention it in todays paper. I met with two crew
members at a function a few years ago, what a disaster.
This was a tragedy. It was intentional. It is a case that is suppressed because of the controlled news media. Israel bribed President Johnson with a Russian missile battery and favorable news stories supporting Johnson’s potential reelection bid. The episode shows why Israel should pull back from all occupied territories. They have no right and are oppressors just as in South Africa. Israel would be safer if they showed a sense of justice and fairness. They killed our soldiers 50 years ago. Nothing in the controlled news. WHY????? Every alleged atrocity involving Israel is broadcast widely. We all know who controls the news media.
The term aliance is a misnomer. Nations don’t have friends, they have interests. When the interests of one nation aligns with another, then they work together. When they are missaligned then at a minimum the cooperation stops.
To pretend that anything else is at play in international politics is an excercise in foolishness.
This devolved quickly.
There is little doubt the Israelis attacked the Liberty on purpose. The details on why and how that happened are worth informing oneself of. Israel was in a fight for its existence. We had blocked several efforts by the Israelis to decisively defeat their enemies (and often continue to do so to this day). How would we react to an ally giving warning to an enemy bent on attacking us with an existential threat (e.g. nukes)? The Israelis also had some rogue leadership in their military that facilitated if not ordered this attack. Not right but it does add depth to the discussion.
It was a terrible and bloody attack. An attack our leadership did nothing to stop or clearly investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and actually called forces back that could have stopped the attack. It was and remains a huge blot in our relationship with Israel.
Israel does some stuff that is definitively not in our interest. Not any worse though than some of the things we’ve done/do e.g. undermining their ability to strike their enemies by exposing their plans or limiting their capabilities (unless it’s in our interest) or even bankroling terrorists that use our funding to launch attacks against Israel (not the acts of an ally). We also leverage the heck out of their technology and combat experience earned with Israeli blood. Airland doctrine had roots in lessons learned from Israel’s conflicts
For those that think Israel isn’t an ally or not on our side which state in the region would you plunk yourself unarmed in wearing a USA t-shirt?
I don’t like what the Israelis did in the least and it hasn’t been resolved but I’m sure there are plenty of people in this world that think the US isn’t a good ally. The S. Vietnamese, the Shia who revolted at the end of Desert Storm, our Iraqi and Afghan interpreters come to mind but the list is much longer.
Well said, Mr. Rodriguez.
But Sir, the world is black and white!!!………..
“You are such a boy-scout Dr. Ryan!..”
Ha ha
Eric,
A Big Thank You for putting this up, and putting up with this. From the comments, it looks like there are a few folks that showed up not knowing about the goings on. The best look at the incident I have seen is the 49-minute long documentary that Al Jazeera did a couple of years ago.
And before anybody gets their bloomers in a bunch over the source I am recommending, AJ went to the trouble of interviewing numerous members of the U.S.S. Liberty’s crew…
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/specialseries/2014/10/day-israel-attacked-america-20141028144946266462.html
Everything credible and reasoned that I have read on this incident points to the conclusion that it was indeed an accidental mis-identification.
Just like almost every other blue-on-blue or blue-on-neutral-or-third party fire incident, there was a complex series of mistakes and failures of the system(s).
To start, the US incorrectly stated that we had no ships within hundreds of miles (and this NSA directed vessel likely wasn’t on conventional-ship navy plot or reporting chain. Israeli ground forces had been reporting fire from an unknown vessel. The Israelis suspected a particular Egyptian vessel. The controlling HQs, believing there were no US vessels in the area, and looking at a variety of other incomplete/flawed information (like so much info in the fog of war!) deduced, incorrectly as it turned out, that Liberty was the hostile Egyptian target and ordered the air strikes and the torpedo boats.
When the doubts of at least one of the jet pilots and the helo crews finally filtered up through the confusion, with a confirmation that it was a US ship (or at least a US ship now displaying a spread US flag), the attack was halted.
To think that the Israelis would purposely and knowingly attack a US Navy vessel, in 1967 or today, is utterly irrational and frankly nuts. There is not a damn thing that could have collected or even any ham-handed US activity, which would have justified or generated a decision by the Israelis to deliberately commit and act of war against their chief protector.
I understand the depth of emotion from certain of the Liberty survivors, friends, and family, and the memories burned into their brains from their perspective in that bloody day. But consideration of their memories must be weighed with the understanding that their perspective is simply their perspective, from a little piece of deck. Yes, the Liberty’s attacker were of course trying to sink the ship – because they thought it was an enemy ship, in a very hot wartime situation.
Many of us have felt some splash of the bitter, stomach-turning reality of accidents and blue-on-blue disasters. Men I knew (if slightly) were lost in the Northern-No-Fly-Zone Blackhawk shootdown. Reading the investigation (and I’ve read a lot of investigations in my time) and you can see the whole chain of errors and failures unfold, from “Talley two Hinds!” through “Put a fork in them, they’re fried!” up to the horrible realization that something has gone terribly wrong “Be advised, the Army reports two Blackhawks overdue”.
Things looks different from the cockpit of a fast-mover…or in a TOC…or a ADA launch control, or damn near anywhere. This horrible stuff does happen, and adding emotionalism to it does nothing to clarify matters.
To conclude, any discussion of the USS Liberty incident is one of those places where the anti-Israelis, and the flat-out Jew haters, feel free to pop-off with twisted theories, venomous propaganda, and feel some sort of rush from draining the pressure drain from their poisoned minds.
Some of us are neither “anti-Israelis” or “flat-out Jew haters.” Rather, we’re into truth, and stuff like that:
The Liberty was flying a Holiday Ensign, well before…
Israeli aircraft buzzed the Liberty, repeatedly, well before the attack. Members of the Liberty’s crew waived at the pilots, and the pilots waved back. Which leads to…
Tape recordings of the radio traffic between the Israeli fighter aircraft and their base clearly showing the Israelis knew the Liberty was a US ship. Further, the pilots double-checked and verified (with the base) the ship was US, and then were ordered to open fire.
My conclusion re: the mis-identification of the Liberty is disingenuous, at best. Your idea that, “To think that the Israelis would purposely and knowingly attack a US Navy vessel, in 1967 or today, is utterly irrational and frankly nuts…” is an extraordinary claim, requiring extraordinary evidence.
To the contrary, and simply applying Ockham’s Razor: Israel stood to get caught waging a War of Aggression (fact), along with reaching far too deep into the… Kahk(ie) jar (fact). Further, there is the Isreali’s jamming of international distress call frequencies (fact) and the machine gunning of lifeboats (fact). Yep, a bunch of War Crimes fodder. Ironic, considering…
Do your “credible and reasoned” readings include anything like the Liberty’s deck log, transcripts of the Israeli fighter aircraft’s radio traffic, or the accounts of the Liberty’s surviving crew members? Assuming so, how do you reconcile those things with the conclusions you have drawn?
To conclude, you would probably stand a better chance of making a point that sticks if you didn’t accuse people (whom you know fuck-all about) of being anti-Zionists, anti-Semites, and suffering from a “poisoned mind” out of hand.
I just don’t get it?? Why is it always if you don’t agree your a “racist”, “anti-Semite”, “Jew-hater”, etc, etc….? Why can’t people just question the circumstances and be objective??
I’m getting sick of this SJ name calling of shutting down thought/speech by throwing out vile rhetoric when people don’t agree or choose to add information.
SSD, thank you for posting this article. I was not aware of this incident prior to today, and appreciate the knowledge.
Well, this, “Rather than dwell on the political aspects, let us remember the sacrifice of men in an unglamorous but critical job,” went out the window real fast…
I know nothing meaningful about this incident, but I do know that the Israelis have done terrible things to their own people, purely for political gain. State interests trump all in that part of the world, as in ours.