Convoluted Brian

On June 8, 1967, the Israel Air Force started an attack on the surveillance ship USS Liberty AGTR5 that left 34 US sailors killed and 174 wounded. This occurred during the Six Day War when Isreal performed a Blitzkrieg against its Arab neighbors.

The attack started at 1505 when two Israeli fighter-bombers strafed the Liberty with 30-mm cannons. At the time, the Liberty was flying a United States Flag and displayed hull number GTR5 in large white letters. This pass targeted the Liberty’s antenna array and weaponry leaving the ship voiceless and weaponless.
A followup was performed by another flight of Israeli fighter-bombers. These warplanes dropped napalm on the ship and targeted it with cannons. Much of the Liberty caught fire.

A third attack was made by Israeli torpedo boats. This action killed at least 25 sailors and wounded dozens. This attact included machine gunning firefighters and stretcher bearers. The torpedo boats later returned to close range machine-gun the Liberty’s life rafts being lowered to attempt to rescue seriously wounded sailors.

During the attack the Liberty was able to get a call out for help out. American fighter jets in the area were dispatched to aid the Liberty and then recalled without aiding the crew. There has yet to be any explanation for the withdrawal.
At 1630, the attack stopped.

Lieutenant James M. Ennes, Jr. was aboard and detailed the attack in his book Assault on the Liberty. He observed that members of the one of the torpedo boats collected a clearly marked rubber raft belonging to the Liberty before leaving.

Israel claimed the USS Liberty was mistaken for an unnamed Egyptian tramp steamer.

The information for the attempt on the Liberty and crew was available to United States politicians and naval command. There was an unwillingness to make Isael responsible for what could be called a war crime. Officially, the US response was this was a simple and reasonable error. One explanation was the USS Liberty was supposed to be elsewhere but never received the message. That however does not exhonerate Israel’s attack on a clearly flagged and marked United State Navy vessel.

What were possible reasons for Israeli attempt to sink a US Navy ship? The Liberty was an intelligence gathering vessel. Possible reasons include; the Israelis had fears of possible war crimes being discovered. As many as 1,000 Egyptian prisoners were executed; finding Israel bringing Jordan into the war by planting false information; the invasion of Lebanon; attacks on Syria after success in destroying Egyptian battle capabilities.

There were few repercussions. Except for Israel paying reparations to families of dead and injured, none. Israel did not pay for vessel damages.

The Moorer Report was published in 2003. Included were statements Items 4 and five.
“That there is compelling evidence that Israel’s attack was a deliberate attempt to destroy an American ship and kill her entire crew;

“That in attacking USS Liberty, Israel committed acts of murder against American servicemen and an act of war against the United States; That in attacking USS Liberty, Israel committed acts of murder against American servicemen and an act of war against the United States;”

A repercussion of the USS Liberty incident is the capture of the USS Pueblo (AGER2) by North Korea on January 23, 1968. One sailor was killed and 83 were made captive. The captives were eventually released, but the USS Pueblo remains in North Korean hands as a patriotic museum. The captain of the Pueblo had requested more secure equipment to destroy sensitive information. This was was never furnished. Rescue vessels attempts were disbanded. Aircraft Carriers USS Enterprise and USS Ranger were to provide strike aircraft against Noth Korea. They were diverted back to their mission in Viet Nam.

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References
Independent Investigation of Israel’s attack on USS Liberty,
The Moorer Report by Admiral Thomas H Moorer (ret.), USMC General Raymond G. Davis, (MOH), Rear Admiral Merlin Staring, (Ret.), Ambassador James Akins, (Ret.)
Moorer Report

Jacobsen Report “A Judicial Examination of the Israeli Attack on the USS Liberty” by Lieutenant Commander Walter L. Jacobsen, JA GC, USN. This includes a claim that Israel was not attacked first. Egypt was not prepared for war and Israel was able to destroy the entire Egyptian air force that was sitting in the ground. (1986)
Jacobsen Report

Reaction of USS Liberty crew members to Israel’s reasons for the attacks and the United States Government acceptance of the Israel version of events of the attack on the USS Liberty (2021)
New revelations in attack on American spy ship

by Brian McCorkle