Background: In 1967, the LIBERTY, an elaborate state-of-the art intelligence gathering platform, was in international waters off the Gaza strip and was flying the Stars and Stripes. Israeli reconnaissance planes flew overhead for hours. Pilots and ship’s crew waved to each other. Then, inexplicably, unmarked Israeli aircraft began attacking the ship.
The defenseless LIBERTY radioed for help. Two aircraft carriers in the Med responded by launching fighter aircraft. Unbelievably, they were recalled by the White House. RADM Geis, then commanding the carriers in the Sixth Fleet, called Washington personally to confirm the order. SecDef McNamara came on the line, then President Johnson. Johnson indicated to Geis that the aircraft were to be returned, that he would not have his allies embarrassed, and that he didn’t care who was killed or what was done to the ship. Geis, like any good sailor, recalled the aircraft.
With no help forthcoming, the LIBERTY fell an easy victim to Israel’s motor torpedo boat attack. FIVE torpedoes were lobbed at the Liberty, one hit amidships and instantly killed 25 sailors. A total of 34 died in the attack, 172 were injured.
The torpedo boats came within 50 feet of the ship, couldn’t see the American flag on the mast, couldn’t see the words “USS LIBERTY” on the stern, couldn’t see “GTR-5″ in 6 1/2 foot letters on the bow. The boats shot at American sailors on the deck of the Liberty as the sailors tried to help one another. As life rafts were put in the water by Liberty sailors in preparation for abandoning the ship, the boats shot them up. One boat pulled one out of the water and took it on board. Didn’t see the words “U. S. NAVY” stenciled on it. The boats left the scene, apparently when they got erroneous word that the carriers had sent fighters to help the Liberty.
President Johnson went on television and announced to the American people that TEN sailors were killed in the “six minute accidental” attack. Sailors were ordered not to discuss the incident with ANYONE under threat of court-martial. We waited for the investigation… and for the explanations and the answers. Why did Israel attack the ship? Why did the U. S. Government turn its back on the crew members? The answers never came.
There has NEVER been a congressional investigation. There HAS been a NAVY- controlled white-washed investigation of the crew’s actions during the attack, but Israel’s participation was NOT covered. Even in this, evidence was changed, and officers and crew who knew the answers were not asked the right questions and were told to shut up when they offered information. In 2002, retired Navy captain Ward Boston, one of the Navy’s chief legal counsels reporting to Adm. Kidd, who, with Adm. Kidd, conducted the Navy’s inquiry, now says that the Navy inquiry was a sham and a fraud and both he and Adm. Kidd knew that the attack was not an accident but deliberate.
At the AFEI conference for Net Centric Operations 2003 on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 at Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA, Honorable John Stenbit, Assistant Secretary for Defense C3I, said, “The Israeli’s told us 24 hours before that we had a ship called the Liberty, and if we didn’t move it they would sink it. Unfortunately, the ship was not moved and by the time the message arrived the ship was taking on water.” .
The attack has been a matter of controversy since 1967. Survivors and many key government officials including Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Moorer say the attack was no accident. CLICK HERE to see a long list of notable officials who believe the attack was deliberate. Two Israeli officers have come forward to admit that the attack was no accident. Yet the Israeli government and its supporters insist it was a “tragic case of misidentification” and charge that survivors and their eyewitness supporters are lying.
The ship’s crew is bitter. It is bitter because its own country turned its back on them… it is bitter because someone killed 34 Americans and got away with it…what’s more, that its own government covered up the truth and helped them get away with it.
Visit: The USS Liberty Website
Fourty-one years ago, former Lieutenant Commander David Lewis and former US seaman Gary Brummett were on the USS Liberty that June day in 1967 when their ship was attacked by Israeli Air Force and Navy. Their stories of what they saw and experienced and their efforts for an investigation to publicly expose the truth of that tragedy have been an ongoing effort shared with other survivors of the Liberty. 
