USS Liberty in the Washington Post

[AmericaNumber1]

Found this posting at a Newsgroup. Seems a full-page ad was taken out of the Washington Post to remind the world what wonderful Allies Israel are.

It's beyond me why there is not some type of memorial or day of remembrance for those American's murdered by Israel. In fact, the pro-Israel sentiment seems to be "forget about it. it's in the past, let's move on".

However, consistent reminders about the halocaust plague Americans as if they were somehow responsible or as if a lesson is learned. Well, there were more numbers. But, a higher lesson can be learned if Israel campaigns to teach about their failings (re: USS Liberty) instead of rushing to sugar coat it.

.....

June 1, 2002
>>
>> President George W. Bush
>> Commander in Chief, White House, Washington D.C.
>>
>> Dear Mr. President,
>>
>> Saturday, June 8, 2002 marks the 35th anniversary of probably the most
>> shameful day in American history. That day America's banner and honor were
>> treacherously trashed by our so-called ally, Israel. Thirty four Americans
>> were brutally slaughtered, 172 wounded, including myself. America's most
>> sophisticated intelligence ship was so badly damaged it had to be
>scrapped.
>> Israel deliberately attacked America's virtually unarmed USS LIBERTY in
>> international waters, knowing full well our identity, in an assault that
>> lasted as long as the attack on Pearl Harbor. On that bright, sunny,
>> infamous day, the LIBERTY had a large American flag flapping in the wind
>and
>> 10' high I.D. markings on her hull which were clearly visible during the
>> full six hours (6:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon) that low-flying, slow-moving,
>> propeller recons, distinctly marked with Stars of David, reconnoitered our
>> ship. Overheard radio transmission of the pilots confirmed that the Israel
>> had positively identified the LIBERTY as American.
>>
>> Suddenly at 2:00 p.m., the government of Israel put a knife in the back of
>> America. In a diabolic attempt at deception, the Israelis began the attack
>> with unmarked jet fighters using rockets, cannons, and napalm on our
>> unprotected ship. Then three motor torpedo boats arrived on the scene and
>> fired 6 torpedoes at us, one hitting its mark, midship's on the starboard
>> side, instantly blowing to bits 25 of America's finest young men. The
>> torpedo gunmen shot at our firefighters and stretcher-bearers, using us as
>> target practice, maiming and murdering as many of America's sons as they
>> could.
>>
>>
>> The captain ordered us to prepare to abandon ship, as the ship was in
>grave
>> danger of sinking from a torpedo hit that left a 40' x 40' hole in her.
>> There were only 3 life rafts left that they hadn't already destroyed. We
>> put them over the side to put as many wounded in as possible. The torpedo
>> boats machine gunned the life rafts and sank two of them and took one
>aboard
>> their boat -- no survivors were to be taken! Helicopters were overhead to
>> board our ship with Israeli commandos at the ready to finish us off.
>>
>> Responding to a S.O.S. from the LIBERTY, the USS SARATOGA launched their
>> jets approximately 15 minutes into the vicious Israeli attack. Within
>> minutes after the launch, incredibly and inexplicably, Washington
>shamefully
>> and unconscionably recalled the jets, abandoning helpless American sailors
>> under fire, and subjecting them to an additional two hours of barbaric
>> Israeli bombardment and butchery.
>>
>> Fortuitously, when the Israelis picked up an invalid message that U.S.
>help
>> was on the way, Israeli reluctantly was forced to terminate its ongoing
>> assault. Without that break, I would not be alive writing this letter.
>>
>> Ironically, help did not arrive until 18 hours after the attack when it
>was
>> only 15 minutes away. When an American rescue ship finally arrived, what
>> they found was shocking, the LIBERTY was in shambles, death on the water.
>> There were 821 rocket and cannon holes in her hull, thousands of 50
>caliber
>> armor-piercing bullets riddling her skin, a tunnel size torpedo cavity in
>> her broad side, and the residue of napalm that had been dropped to burn us
>> up. Blood and body parts were strewn across the deck. A sad, outrageous
>> story, but unfortunately true.
>>
>> The crew of the most decorated naval ship in American history was ordered
>to
>> remain silent under threat of court martial, imprisonment or worse, and we
>> all knew what worst meant. The U.S. government has never challenged the
>> obviously phony Israeli excuse of "mistaken identity", nor have they
>> attempted to expose the dishonorable cover-up that continues to date.
>Truth
>> and America's honor were ignominiously sacrificed to provide cover for
>> Israel's transparent lies and despicable act of perfidy.
>>
>> Israel's premeditated, sneak attack on the USS LIBERTY was a direct attack
>> on America. The disgraceful refusal of unpatriotic American governmental
>> officials of dubious allegiance to defend America and come to the aid of
>> brave Americans under attack can only be characterized as treasonous.
>>
>> Mr. President, on behalf of the courageous crew of the USSLIBERTY, dead
>and
>> alive, I respectfully request that you commission a presidential panel to
>> finally investigate the attack and cover-up of the USS LIBERTY, and report
>> the truth to American people.
>>
>> Thank you, Mr. President. God bless you! God bless America!
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Phillip F. Tourney, President
>> USS LIBERTY Veterans Association

[L@mplighterM]

The USS Liberty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Israeli attack on the USS Liberty was a grievous error, largely attributable to the fact that it occurred in the midst of the confusion of a full-scale war in 1967. Ten official United States investigations and three official Israeli inquiries have all conclusively established the attack was a tragic mistake.

On June 8, 1967, the fourth day of the Six-Day War, the Israeli high command received reports that Israeli troops in El Arish were being fired upon from the sea, presumably by an Egyptian vessel as they had a day before. The United States had announced that it had no Naval forces within hundreds of miles of the battle front on the floor of the United Nations a few days earlier; however, the USS Liberty, an American intelligence ship assigned to monitor the fighting, arrived in the area, 14 miles off the Sinai coast, as result of a series of United States communication failures, whereby messages directing the ship not to approach within 100 miles were not received by the Liberty. The Israelis mistakenly thought this was the ship doing the shelling and war planes and torpedo boats attacked, killing 34 members of the Liberty's crew and wounding 171.

Numerous mistakes were made by both the United States and Israel. For example, the Liberty was first reported � incorrectly, as it turned out (it was later recalculated to be 28 knots) �to be cruising at 30 knots. Under Israeli (and U.S.) naval doctrine at the time, a ship proceeding at that speed was presumed to be a warship. The day fighting began, Israel had asked that American ships be removed from its coast or that it be notified of the precise location of U.S. vessels.1 The Sixth Fleet was moved because President Johnson feared being drawn into a confrontation with the Soviet Union. He also ordered that no aircraft be sent near Sinai.

According to Israel's Chief of Staff, Yitzhak Rabin's memoirs, there were standing orders to attack any unidentified vessel near the shore.2 The sea was calm and the U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry found that the flag was very likely drooped and not discernible; moreover, members of the crew, including the Captain, Commander William McGonagle, testified that the flag was knocked down after the first or second assault.

A CIA report on the incident issued June 13, 1967, also found that an overzealous pilot could mistake the Liberty for an Egyptian ship, the El Quseir. After the air raid, Israeli torpedo boats identified the Liberty as an Egyptian naval vessel. When the Liberty began shooting at the Israelis, they responded with the torpedo attack, which killed 28 of the sailors.

The argument that the attack was a tragic mistake is further reinforced by a new biography of Yitzhak Rabin (Dan Kurzman, Soldier of Peace: The Life of Yitzhak Rabin. NY: HarperCollins, 1998), who was Israel's Chief of Staff during the war, which says the Israelis initially were terrified that they had attacked a Soviet ship and might have provoked the Soviets to join the fighting. The Israelis were relieved when they learned it was an American ship, though Rabin remained concerned the mistake might jeopardize American support for Israel.3

Once the Israelis were sure what had happened, they reported the incident to the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and offered to provide a helicopter for the Americans to fly out to the ship and any help they required to evacuate the injured and salvage the ship. The offer was accepted and a U.S. naval attaché was flown to the Liberty.

Many of the survivors of the Liberty remain bitter, and are convinced the attack was deliberate as they make clear on their web site (http://www.ussliberty.com/). In 1991, columnists Rowland Evans and Robert Novak trumpeted their discovery of an American who said he had been in the Israeli war room when the decision was made to knowingly attack the American ship.4 In fact, that individual, Seth Mintz, wrote a letter to the Washington Post on November 9, 1991, in which he said he was misquoted by Evans and Novak and that the attack, was, in fact, a "case of mistaken identity." Moreover, the man who Mintz originally said had been with him, a Gen. Benni Matti, does not exist. Also, contrary to claims that an Israeli pilot identified the ship as American on a radio tape, no one has ever produced this tape. In fact, the only tape in existence is the official Israeli Air Force tape, which clearly established that no such identification of the ship was made by the Israeli pilots prior to the attack. It also indicates that once the pilots became concerned about the identity of the ship, by virtue of reading its hull number, they terminated the attack. The tapes do not contain any statement suggesting the pilots saw a U.S. flag before the attack.5

None of Israel's accusers has been able to explain adequately why Israel would have deliberately attacked an American ship at a time when the United States was Israel's only friend and supporter in the world. Confusion in a long line of communications, which occurred in a tense atmosphere on both the American and Israeli sides (five messages from the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the ship to remain at least 25 miles &151; the last four said 100 miles &151; off the Egyptian coast arrived after the attack was over) is a more probable explanation.

Accidents caused by “friendly fire� are common in wartime. In 1988, the U.S. Navy mistakenly downed an Iranian passenger plane, killing 290 civilians. During the Gulf War, 35 of the 148 Americans who died in battle were killed by “friendly fire.� In April 1994, two U.S. Black Hawk helicpoters with large U.S. flags painted on each side were shot down by U.S. Air Force F-15s on a clear day in the “no fly� zone of Iraq, killing 26 people. In fact, the day before the Liberty was attacked, Israeli pilots accidentally bombed one of their own armored columns south of Jenin on the West Bank.6

Retired Admiral, Shlomo Erell, who was Chief of the Navy in Israel in June 1967, told the Associated Press (June 5, 1977): “No one would ever have dreamt that an American ship would be there. Even the United States didn't know where its ship was. We were advised by the proper authorities that there was no American ship within 100 miles.�

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara told Congress on July 26, 1967: “It was the conclusion of the investigatory body, headed by an admiral of the Navy in whom we have great confidence, that the attack was not intentional.�

In 1987, McNamara repeated his belief that the attack was a mistake, telling a caller on the “Larry King Showâ€Â� that he had seen nothing in the 20 years since to change his mind that there had been no “coverÂÂup.â€Â�7

Israel apologized for the tragedy and paid nearly $13 million in humanitarian reparations to the United States and to the families of the victims in amounts established by the U.S. State Department. The matter was officially closed between the two government by an exchange of diplomatic notes on December 17, 1987.

http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/History/liberty.html

[Mediocrates]

Virtually 100% of all allied casualties Afghanistan have been because of friendly fire, or accidents.

[Barak]

A thing I don't understand is why Israel hasn't bombed the ship.

Israelhad something to gain. The USS Liberty could have heard that Israel was about to attack the Golan heights. Since this was a problem, Israel should have the USS Liberty 'taken out', in one way or another. I don't suggest that the attack was or wasn't deliberate, but I like to just sticking to the facts.

[elke]

Originally posted by Barak
A thing I don't understand is why Israel hasn't bombed the ship.

Israelhad something to gain. The USS Liberty could have heard that Israel was about to attack the Golan heights. Since this was a problem, Israel should have the USS Liberty 'taken out', in one way or another. I don't suggest that the attack was or wasn't deliberate, but I like to just sticking to the facts.

Just saw an interview with Michael Oren, the author of the new book on the Six Day War. He said that there are documents that prove that US knew about the imminent attack on the Golan Heights, before the attack was made, and had no objections whatsoever.

Here is an article by him regarding this subject. Quote:
"...in 1997, American and Israeli archives, observing the 30-year declassification rule, began releasing top-secret documents relevant to the case...Diplomatic cables showed that Israel had informed Washington of its intention to attack Syria and that Washington had not objected--which eliminated Israel's supposed motive for the crime."

http://www.tnr.com/072301/oren072301_print.html

[redcake]

Wasn't there a new thread with updated info on the USS LIberty? Why can't I find it by doing a search? Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[abu afak]

Originally posted by redcake
Wasn't there a new thread with updated info on the USS LIberty? Why can't I find it by doing a search? Anyone know what I'm talking about?

"USS Liberty, Final Nail in the Cofffen"

http://www.israelforum.com/board/sho...7103#post57103

[Noam]

Originally posted by redcake
Wasn't there a new thread with updated info on the USS LIberty? Why can't I find it by doing a search? Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Spector (the head honcho of the 27 refusink pilots) speaks about his bombing mission of the LIberty (wallace)

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...=1065773796483

[Oh Jerusalem]

Maybe the final nails in the coffin for this hate-flamed conspiracy:

Exclusive: Liberty attack tapes revealed
By ARIEH O'SULLIVAN


At 1:58 pm on June 8, 1967, Capt. Yiftach Spector lined up his Mirage IIICJ fighter jet above the USS Liberty and raked it from bow to stern with his armored-piercing bullets from his 30 mm guns.

Even now, 37 years later, the attack by the Air Force on the American spy ship on the fourth day of the Six Days' War fuels the fire of intrigue, conspiracy and cover-up theories. Nevertheless, what follows is powerful evidence that the attack was a tragic mistake.

The Israel Air Force archives have audiotapes of the radio transmissions made prior, during and after the attack. They have never been made public. The Jerusalem Post was allowed to listen to these tapes on an exclusive basis together with other Air Force historians. Here, for the first time, the actual transcripts of the radio transmissions between the pilot and ground station appear in the press.

Historians will be the first to say that raw material needs context. Therefore, it is important to present the entire unedited transcript of the attack to prevent Israel bashers from dissecting out the unflattering and incriminating comments and using them out of context.

This said, it is also vital that the text be annotated, translated from the jargon of 1967 Air Force language, to one that can be understood today.

There are a number of dramatic moments, including jockey calls by a pilot: that it would be a "mitzvah" to sink the ship before the Navy arrived and another says it was 'easier than MiGs.'

Another is when suddenly, in the middle of the attack, an unknown voice cuts in from the side: "What is this? What about the Americans?" And finally, the confusion over the identity is dwarfed by the split second decision making made by the chief air controller Col. Shmuel Kislev.

Obviously, listening to the tapes sends chills down one's spine.

The pilots speak only before and after they act. There are full minutes of almost total silence and you know that men are being killed.

The only sound is of an automated female voice of the time being red out every 20 seconds. "The time is now 14 and two minutes."

There are two tapes, one of the radio transmissions between the pilots and controllers, and the other is of telephone conversations between the chief air controller and regional air controllers. The audiotapes themselves were not released. The following transcript is a mix of the two tapes into one transcript, which explains the time overlaps.

Cast of characters:
Homeland - Air Controllers
Kislev - chief air controller at general headquarters in Tel Aviv
Menachem - chief air controller at Air Control South
Yigal - Menachem's deputy
Robert - chief air controller at Air Control Central
Shimon - Robert's deputy
L.K. - Capt. Lazar Karni, weapons system officer
Kursa - two-ship formation of Mirage IIICJs commanded by Capt. Yiftach Spector
Royal - two-ship formation of Super-Mysteres that made the second run on Liberty
Nixon - two-ship formation of Mysteres armed with bombs for third strike
Pagoda - three torpedo boats commanded by Lt.-Cmdr. Moshe Oren
Migdal - one of the three torpedo boats that communicates with the pilots

Background:
The Navy has just identified a mysterious vessel off El Arish possibly shelling the ammo depot on the beach. It dispatched three torpedo boats against it, but has asked the Air Force to intercept the ship.

13:50
KISLEV: Yigal, you have a ship at 26 (site designation). Take Kursa over there. If it's a warship then screw it.

YIGAL Clear

13:51
UNKNOWN Wait a minute Kislev. The Navy says that our torpedo boats are in the area and are called Pagoda. They're on frequency 186.

KISLEV If it is a warship you can attack. There are two of our torpedo boats there and they want (the pilots) to either see them or contact them on frequency 186. (There were actually three boats) Robert, do you have Royal?

ROBERT Royal?

SHIMON He is at Hava 16 (grid coordinates) That's route 15.

KISLEV Robert, take Royal along the coast so that if Kursa identifies then he'll be able to go in too.

ROBERT All right

KISLEV Menachem, how much fuel does Kursa have?

MENACHEM he has a lot. About a minute ago he had 3000 (liters)

13:52
KURSA What's the range? Seven turns, 040 degrees. Roger, I'll stay on 19 and 9 (frequencies). How do you call the torpedo boats? Pagoda? Kursa 9 and 3.

13:53
KURSA Homeland, keep on directing me to the place.

HOMELAND 045 degrees, 20 miles. Ah, can you see them at the moment?

13:54
KURSA Affirmative, it looks longer by eyesight.

LK What is this? Americans? (the weapons system officer in the general headquarters blurted out in what he later testified was a hunch.)

SHOMON Where are Americans?

KISLEV Robert, what are you saying?

(quickly disregarding the comment, Kislev moves on)

KISLEV Does he see more torpedo boats north of him?

13:55
KISLEV Menachem, if there are three torpedo boats, then this could be ours. (he is aware of the correct number of boats now)

SHIMON Pay attention, Kursa

13:55
KURSA Pagoda from Kursa. Migdal?

MIGDAL Affirmative

KURSA Are You attacking some ship now?

MIGDAL We're on our way to one.

KURSA OK. I'll come and give you a hand. Where are you?

KURSA Migdal from Kursa. Are you three? There is no need. Bring yourselves up some 10-15 kilometers from the ship. Is it in the direction of your home?

KURSA I see you on a right turn. Why are you turning? It's not in that direction.

MIGDAL OK, all right. Affirmative Affirmative.

13:56
MIGDAL Can you identify the target?

KURSA Can you identify his target, Migdal?

KURSA She's running from you in the direction of El Arish, correction, Port Said. What is it? What is it? A destroyer? A patrol boat? What is it?

MIGDAL Kursa, Can you manage to identify it?

KURSA I can't identify it, but in any case it's a military ship.

MIGDAL OK, what is it?

KURSA It has one mast and one smokestack

MIGDAL Roger

KURSA It has one mast up front.

13:56
SHIMON Menachem, Kursa is calling you.

SHIMON He says he is starting to strafe them.

MENACHEM I told him that if it is a warship then he has authorization to attack. That was the last command.

KISLEV Menachem

MENACHEM Does he have authorization to attack?

KISLEV He does. If this is a warship then yes. Royal is to be directed to there.

MENACHEM OK

KISLEV Send Royal over there with bombs

ROBERT On what frequency are you attacking?

SHIMON She's running away from this (he says this as he monitors the Liberty on his radar screen)

KISLEV Menachem, after he attacks have him explain to Royal how to find her.

SHIMON She's fleeing very fast.

KISLEV OK, attack.

SHIMON Robert, have Royal call us on 19.

ROBERT Royal to you on 19.

13:57
SHIMON Just a second, Kislev, we see the ship. (on radar) That's one hell of a ship.

ROBERT Menachem, I passing 105th (Super Mysteres squadron) to you on 19. Royal (over) El Arish at 20 (20,000 feet)

KISLEV Menachem, have (Kursa) tell us if there is anti-aircraft fire.

13:58
KISLEV Menachem, nu?

MENACHEM We're asking him. She's not shooting back.

KISLEV Not shooting? Give me 19. (his voice has a puzzled expression)

13:59
KURSA We've hit her a lot ...but maybe she is doing it (putting out smoke) on purpose, I don't know. Oil is spilling out into the water. I'm in eye contact. Great! Wonderful! She's burning! She's burning!

MENACHEM Did you hear? He's hit her a lot. There's a lot of black smoke. There's an oil leak into the water. He's continuing.

KISLEV Was there any anti-aircraft fire on him?

MENACHEM She's burning! The warship is burning!

MENACHEM Shumlik, she's burning! The moment Kursa is finished we're sending in Royal.(he uses Kislev's first name Shmulik in his excitement)

KISLEV That's right, to sink her. (he says this flatly)

MENACHEM To sink her, OK.

14:00
ROYAL Eye contact with the target. Eye contact with Kursa. Royal requests 15 (15,000 feet)

KURSA OK, Kursa is coming in ..you a bit further in. I'll go in the direction OK (his comments are to his wingman)

KURSA I think she is putting out smoke on purpose. It's coming out of the smokestack. OK. I'm finished too. The ship is really burning. There is a large fire and a lot of black smoke.

14:01
KURSA Royal, you altitude? We're at 5 (5,000 feet).

ROYAL You're east, right?

KURSA We're south of the ship.

14:01
KISLEV Menachem

MENACHEM We're sending in Royal

KISLEV Good

ROBERT (garbled) this ship?

KISLEV Menachem, if Royal has napalm it would be more efficient.

[Oh Jerusalem]

(continued)

14:02
KURSA Affirmative

ROYAL Not ours?

ROYAL Homeland, can you hear? Call Homeland on 19. Ask if it's allowed to go in.

ROYAL I understand do not go in. Fine. We're circling above the ship at 15. (15,000 feet) Tell him that the Navy will be arriving before us. I can see.

14:02
SHIMON Menachem, Royal is calling you.

MENACHEM He got off the line

KURSA I've got him. (Kursa is relaying to control for Royal)

ROYAL Does Royal have permission?

[20 empty seconds pass]

SHIMON Kislev, there's doubt as to the identification.

KISLEV If there is a doubt, don't attack.

SHIMON Don't attack Menachem.

ROBERT Pay attention. There is doubt as to the identification. (Robert consults with a naval liaison officer in his headquarters)

KISLEV What does that mean?

ROBERT OK, you can go in. (apparently resolving the issue with the Navy)

KISLEV You may go in.

KURSA Affirmative, you have permission, Royal.

14:02
ROYAL Sausages, in the middle and up in one pass. Two together. (he instructs his wingman on dropping the napalm) We'll come in from the rear. Watch out for the masts. Don't hit the masts, careful of the masts. I'll come in from her left, you come behind me.

SHIMON Next formation - get a briefing on what took place.

14:03
ROBERT Authorized to sink her?

KISLEV You can sink her.

SHIMON Royal is exchanging words. They started chatting

ROBERT One Eight (sector coordinates) that is not the ship. Wait a minute

14:04
KISLEV Menachem, Is he screwing her?

MENACHEM He's going down on her with napalm all the time.

KISLEV You don't need anymore for the ship. Enough.

MENACHEM There is no need. Our forces are there. The Navy's there too.

SHIMON It'll be worth it just for the insurance.

KISLEV But napalm went there.

UNKOWN What does napalm do (to a ship?)

14:04
ROYAL on the right side of the stern ..

14:05
ROYAL WING You've missed by an undershot.

ROYAL a deep gash

14:05
KISLEV What is Kursa reporting? Was there any ant-aircraft fire?

MENACHIM I've passed him on to 33 (frequency) and asked for a report.

KISLEV Robert, ask Kursa if there was any anti-aircraft fire.

ROBERT Kislev, the Navy asks not to sink her completely. They want to get close and have a look.

SHIMON Have them rescue the people with the torpedo boats to help.

ROBERT OK, finish with this formation. The torpedoes are coming up to the them.

14:06
KISLEV What does Kursa say?

ROBERT I'm telling you already. 'This is easier than (shooting down) MiGs.'

KISLEV What is the situation now?

UNKNOWN I don't know. Two (Royal wingman) hit the ship with (napalm) and now he's strafing.

14:07
ROYAL Fine pull up.

ROYAL I'm behind you. Careful of her antennas.

14:08
ROYAL Homeland from Royal, how do you hear me? She has some kind of marking, P30 and something.

KISLEV Robert, take formation 116 (Nixon) out there too.

ROBERT Good

MENACHEM Her marking (he is cut off by Kislev)

KISLEV Yes I heard. We are checking.

14:09
ROYAL Homeland, if you could have a two-ship formation with bombs (here) before the Navy arrives then it would be a mitzvah. Otherwise the Navy will be here in 10 minutes.

SHIMON Before the Navy arrives, it will be a mitzvah.

KISLEV In the meantime take formation 116 (Nixon). Who is checking this? (the mysterious markings on the ship)

SHIMON Royal reported that it would be a mitzvah before the Navy comes!

KISLEV Look for a flag if they can see one. Have Royal look. See if they can identify her with a flag.

14:10
ROYAL Twelve o'clock ..look higher. Now left, slowly, slowly a bit faster so it will stay external, OK?

14:10
ROBERT Kislev, they (the Navy) are asking us not to do anything else about her. They want to take her. It's a pity to sink her. I want to receive an answer.

KISLEV No, no, We are attacking meanwhile.

14:11
ROBERT Menachem, Is Royal leaving?

MENACHEM Not yet. Just a moment. He is reporting something.

KISLEV OK attack, Menachem (he orders Nixon in for a third strike)

ROBERT Menachem, has Royal left?

MENACHEM Not yet.

14:11
ROYAL Homeland from Royal, do you read me? Pay attention. This ship's markings are Charlie-Tango-Romeo 5. There is no flag on her! She looks like a minesweeper with that marking. Roger, I'm leaving her. I'm staying around one more minute. (the Liberty's correct markings were GTR-5)

14:12
ROBERT What altitude? What altitude is Royal reaching?

MENACHEM Charlie-Senator-Romeo (he incorrectly recalls CSR-5)

KISLEV Leave her! (his flat tone changes dramatically as he realizes this was no Egyptian ship)

ROBERT Leave her. What ship is this?

KISLEV Leave her. (he says tersely) Menachem report the approximate damage. (Redirect) 116 to its original mission.

14:13
ROYAL Homeland, there's external fire on her, a lot of hits on her upper parts. People are jumping into the water. She's not shooting at all. She has hardly any armaments on her. She's going full steam towards the north.

KISLEV Shimon, Robert. We're sending two helicopters to them.

ROBERT Good. Clear. I am dispatching helicopters.

14:14
MENACHEM Kislev, what country?

KISLEV Apparently American.


Coverup

There are two negative stories about Israel-US relations that refuse to die and are raised periodically. One of them is the Pollard espionage affair and the other is the attack on the USS Liberty. They often are mentioned in the same breath.

Dozens of books have been written and documentaries made on the attack that killed 34 US sailors and wounded over 170. At least ten official US and three Israeli investigations concluded it was the result of a tragic mistake made in the heat of battle. But for some in the world it was inconceivable that the Israeli intelligence which orchestrated the enormous victory of the Six Days' War could have made such a gross mistake. There must be another explanation.

"There isn't," says Michael Oren, author of the acclaimed Six Days of War and senior fellow at The Shalem Center in Jerusalem. "Conspiracy theories in general live, and regarding Jews and Israel they are immortal."

"They don't die because they tap into the notion or belief of an international Jewish cabal, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion thing," he says. "The USS Liberty conspiracists all claim that Israel uses its lobbies and threaten to withhold support to anyone critical of the country. It is nefarious and sinister. It is anti-Semitism."

Besides that, the incident includes terrific elements for conspiracies, Oren says.

"It involves a spy ship. It involves Israel committing an egregious error in the middle of a war where it was perceived to have been flawless. The combination of the NSA (National Security Agency) and the Israeli Air Force is a conspiracy theorists dream,"

Oren says, adding there was little Israel could to do fight it.

Meanwhile, the survivors of the USS Liberty continue to gather to remember their friends, but also to perpetuate the conspiracy that not only were deliberately attacked, but that it was covered up at the highest American and Israeli levels.

Less than 20 of the hundreds of survivors came to this year's memorial held two weeks ago (May 22) in Nebraska City, Nebraska.

"We all believe we're finally getting to the point where the truth may be told and the world is ready to listen," says Cmdr. David Lewis, who oversaw intelligence on the ship and remembers most of the attack that left him with superficial burns and destroyed his eardrums.

[Oh Jerusalem]

(continued)



The view from the cockpit

Of the four pilots who took part in the attack, three are alive today. One died in 1979 during an aviation accident. For years their identities were classified. Last October, Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Yiftach Spector agreed to be identified and gave an exclusive interview on the attack to this reporter. Here are some of his comments.

"There was a mistake. Mistakes happen. As far as I know, the mistake was of the USS Liberty being there in the first place," said Spector, who at the time was deputy squadron commander of the 101st and used the code name "Kursa" during the attack.

"I did not fire on the Liberty as a human target. I was sent to attack a sailing vessel. This ship was on an escape route from the El Arish area which at that same moment had heavy smoke rising from it," said Spector.

He had been on an air-to-air mission and was not loaded with bombs.

"I was told on the radio that it was an Egyptian ship off the Gaza coast. Hit it. The luck of the ship was that I was armed only with light ammunition (30mm) against aircraft. If I had had a bomb it would be sitting on the bottom today like the Titanic. I promise you," Spector said.

"Every order is given by commanders and the last one to receive it has to decide whether he will pull the trigger or not. In this instance I was the fighter. I checked what I had to check (i.e. that it was a military ship and not one of ours) and pulled the trigger," Spector said.

"The crew should be thankful for their luck (that I was on an air-to-air mission and did not have any bombs) I'm sorry for poor Capt. (William Loren) McGonagle whose leg was wounded and the other guys who were killed and wounded."

"I'm sorry for the mistake. In war mistakes happen," Spector said. "But it wasn't my mistake."

He added he remained baffled that the conspiracy theories live on that Israel deliberately attacked the US intelligence ship. He suggested it might be due to anti-Semitism, or anti-Israeli sentiments. He has never in the past 37 years ever met with any of the Liberty survivors, but had no qualms about doing so now.

"These people never, ever spoke to me. Perhaps they are anti-Semites? Or these guys feel hurt and are looking for guilty parties, maybe to get compensation, or money? I am not afraid to meet them. Anyone who wants to meet with me is welcome. I don't have any claims against them. I don't want any compensation from them or anything. If they want they can look me up. And they best not deal with lies and deception since it won't help. It's best they tell the truth."

"They must understand that a mistake was made here," Spector said. "The fool is one who wanders about in the dark in dangerous places, so they should not come with any complaints."

Spector, 63, who went on to become a triple ace shooting down 15 enemy aircraft, base commander and took part in the infamous 1981 raid on the Iraqi nuclear reactor, earned a place in the pantheon of Israeli fly boys. He has spent the past 20 years teaching new generation of fliers. He was dismissed from the IAF last year for signing a letter with other pilots protesting the policy of targeted killings.

[Macc]

Conspiracy theories never die, even though the facts are strongly against it.

People need to use some logic here, what would Israel have to gain from attacking the USS Liberty? Israel was getting the support of America at the time of this conflict, it just does not seem likely; sure there are people out there who say "Jews always want more and they will do anything to get their way".


Deaths due to friendly fire are quite common in the middle of a chaotic conflict.

[Binyamin]

Spector, 63, who went on to become a triple ace shooting down 15 enemy aircraft, base commander and took part in the infamous 1981 raid on the Iraqi nuclear reactor,

[Oh Jerusalem]

Originally posted by Binyamin

I suggest you contact Arieh O'Sullivan and ask him: arieho@netvision.net.il

[Raidri]

this weekend i saw a docu on TV about the liberty.
they showed a plane (they said it was from israel) that flew over the ship 9 times. then it disappeared and time later the fighters came. these couldn´t be identified because there were no marks on them.
the captain of the next american ship send aircrafts, but McNamara advised him to take them back.
there was something about a plane equipped with a-weapons, meant do be send to egypt (because everyone thought egypt attacked the liberty), but i´m not sure whether it started or not.