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As the Israeli military was in the middle of an armed dispute with its Arab neighbors in Egypt, the tensions between the two nations escalated into what would be known as the Six-Day War.
On the fourth day of fighting in the summer of 1967, the Israeli defenses received a warning that an Arab ship was harassing their ground troops from the sea. The Air Force did not take long to deploy several aircraft to contain the threat.
As the fighters overflew the Egyptian waters searching for the elusive ship, they finally spotted one. The Mirages and Mysteres then approached the enemy vessel and dropped a heavy load of ordnance that ripped through her hull.
The deck was set ablaze, but something was off - there was no return fire. As the pilots looked closer, they suddenly recognized the markings on the hull. It had Latin characters, which meant it was an American ship.
On the fourth day of fighting in the summer of 1967, the Israeli defenses received a warning that an Arab ship was harassing their ground troops from the sea. The Air Force did not take long to deploy several aircraft to contain the threat.
As the fighters overflew the Egyptian waters searching for the elusive ship, they finally spotted one. The Mirages and Mysteres then approached the enemy vessel and dropped a heavy load of ordnance that ripped through her hull.
The deck was set ablaze, but something was off - there was no return fire. As the pilots looked closer, they suddenly recognized the markings on the hull. It had Latin characters, which meant it was an American ship.
Israel
Cryptology
CT: Cryptologic Technician
Intelligence
Spying
Posted 1 y ago
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The sad thing about this, it was no mistake in identity. Israel knew exactly what it was doing. The mistake in identity was a sorry excuse, that the U.S. government accepted to . . . . I don't know why, possibly avoid a bigger incident. If you ever want to read about this event, read
"Assault On The Liberty" by James M. Ennes Jr. He was the Officer of the Deck during the attack. I have a FB friend that was on the USS Liberty, who obviously survived this attack. The U.S. flag, that was flying during the attack, is at the Cryptologic Museum at Ft. Meade. I've also been told that there are many things about this attack, that will never be declassified. My opinion about that, so that the U.S. doesn't have to answer for the lies they accepted as truth.
"Assault On The Liberty" by James M. Ennes Jr. He was the Officer of the Deck during the attack. I have a FB friend that was on the USS Liberty, who obviously survived this attack. The U.S. flag, that was flying during the attack, is at the Cryptologic Museum at Ft. Meade. I've also been told that there are many things about this attack, that will never be declassified. My opinion about that, so that the U.S. doesn't have to answer for the lies they accepted as truth.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
CPO David R. D. I, We, Worked in Buildings Named for the Dead, I was trained by the Survivors.
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CPO David R. D.
Here's a link that was posted last year, not sure if it made it to RP back then, but it has a couple of statements from survivors as to whether or not the ship was identified prior to the attack. I guess in politics, we don't hold "friends" accountable.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/06/08/were-fed-it-survivors-of-uss-liberty-look-answers-55-years-later.html
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/06/08/were-fed-it-survivors-of-uss-liberty-look-answers-55-years-later.html
'We're Fed Up With It': Survivors of the USS Liberty Look for Answers 55 Years Later
The attack, which left 34 Americans dead and 174 others injured, has been veiled in controversy since it happened.
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SGT Mary G.
CPO David R. D. - I agree with your opinion. And Dean Rusk was correct. I talked with Ennes some after a presentation in Seatlle, 1989. His presentation was the first time I had learned details from anyone who had been present. Good to know that people still care about the unresolved problem of that attack.
The Israeli excuse at the start of the video is propaganda, except for "they dropped a heavy load of ordinance." Like you have said, the survivors present a variety of reasons why they know the attack was deliberate.
They know the Israeli government was angry that the Americans were there "spying" on them out in the open. They did not want witnesses to what they had planned. Perhaps the Liberty thought being there out in the open might deter something they may have overheard? After all, Israel did have nukes, and had already threatened to use them during the Suez Crisis.
The Israeli excuse at the start of the video is propaganda, except for "they dropped a heavy load of ordinance." Like you have said, the survivors present a variety of reasons why they know the attack was deliberate.
They know the Israeli government was angry that the Americans were there "spying" on them out in the open. They did not want witnesses to what they had planned. Perhaps the Liberty thought being there out in the open might deter something they may have overheard? After all, Israel did have nukes, and had already threatened to use them during the Suez Crisis.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Israel Apologized and Paid Compensation
Israel’s government apologized to the U.S government and claimed that the attack was nothing but a result of confusion.
The Israeli air and naval force commanders mistakenly identified the vessel’s nationality as Egyptian. They assumed that the Liberty was an Egyptian warship because it was in the vicinity of Egypt in Sinai waters.
In 1968, the Israeli government paid $3.32 million to the U.S. government in compensation for the families of the 34 Americans killed during the attack. One year later, in 1969, Israel paid a further amount of $3.57 million to the men who had been wounded in the Liberty attack.
In December 1980, it agreed to pay the final settlement of $6 million for causing damage to the USS Liberty and the case was closed without any closure for the victims’ families owing to the unprofessional investigation of the incident."
..."Israel Apologized and Paid Compensation
Israel’s government apologized to the U.S government and claimed that the attack was nothing but a result of confusion.
The Israeli air and naval force commanders mistakenly identified the vessel’s nationality as Egyptian. They assumed that the Liberty was an Egyptian warship because it was in the vicinity of Egypt in Sinai waters.
In 1968, the Israeli government paid $3.32 million to the U.S. government in compensation for the families of the 34 Americans killed during the attack. One year later, in 1969, Israel paid a further amount of $3.57 million to the men who had been wounded in the Liberty attack.
In December 1980, it agreed to pay the final settlement of $6 million for causing damage to the USS Liberty and the case was closed without any closure for the victims’ families owing to the unprofessional investigation of the incident."
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