THE LIBERTY FOUNDATION PURPOSE

The mission of the Liberty Foundation is to raise donations in order to purchase newspaper space to tell the USS Liberty story. The USS Liberty Veterans Association (LVA) has tried for over 37 years to expose the true story of the deliberate Israeli attack on the USS Liberty to the American people through books, news media, movies, and letters to the President of the United States and congressmen. While we have encountered politicians and news media personnel who were willing to help, they have been unable to interest their superiors or others in supporting our cause. Many people believe it is just too politically risky or politically incorrect to confront the Israeli lobbyists and support groups. Please read on.

THE ISSUE

The Israelis do not want the truth to be told. It is obvious that they fear that America may be less of a supportive ally if the truth were known. The truth of their deeds and the Johnson Administration needs to be fully investigated. Congress has never officially investigated the attack and so the attack continues to be a cover-up of the worse magnitude. We believe the operational plans were FRONTLET 615 and Operation Cyanide. We have discovered that the USS Liberty was part of these plans. These documents should be declassified immediately and released to the American public for historic analytical purposes. The complicity of the Israelis and the Johnson Administration in starting the Six Day War alarmed the Soviet Union. The United States and the Soviet Union came closer to a nuclear confrontation than any other incident in history including the Cuban Missile crises. When the Soviets discovered that the U.S. was planning to enter the war militarily, they challenged President Johnson with a nuclear confrontation and President Johnson wisely backed down from any further military activities.



Note: Everything written heretofore and the remaining details are accurate and can be proven by corroborated individual witness testimony, logical deduction, and documentation.

SYNOPSIS OF OUR STORY

On June 8, 1967, the Israeli Defense Forces murdered 34 Americans on the high seas (31 sailors, 2 marines, and a NSA civilian). Out of a total compliment of 294 men, 70% of the crew became casualties as 172 were wounded in addition to the 34 killed.

For 6 hours the morning before the attack, the ship was subjected to intense scrutiny by Israeli photo-reconnaissance aircraft flying as low as 200 feet. The USS Liberty had traditional American markings on her bow (GTR-5) and stern (USS LIBERTY) flying a large American Flag, which stood out in the breeze, and sailing in international waters on a clear and sunny day. The ship was a WWII victory hull cargo ship modified to monitor and record ambient radio transmission and lightly armed with four 50 caliber machine guns.

The Israelis began the attack with 3 fighter jets which strafed, rocketed, and bombed the Liberty. This was followed with 3 torpedo boats that fired 30mm canons and torpedoes. Since the Liberty was a virtually unarmed vessel and not a military threat, at no time did the torpedo boats request the Liberty to surrender as did the North Koreans regarding the USS Pueblo in 1968. Responding to our SOS which was about 15 minutes into the Israeli attack, the USS Saratoga launched conventionally armed fighter aircraft to assist the USS Liberty and the USS America launched nuclear armed jet aircraft to bomb Cairo. Why Cairo? Our SOS did not identify the attacker at the time as the identity of the attacker was unknown. Within minutes after the launch, the White House recalled all aircraft abandoning the USS Liberty subjecting us to an additional 2 hours of an Israeli turkey shoot. In disbelief, RADM Geis, Sixth Fleet Carrier Division Commander, challenged the order (as was his right and responsibility in this situation). Unbelievably, the White House again reaffirmed the order to recall all aircraft despite our plea for help. Israelis destroyed one of the most advanced intelligence ships.

The Liberty was riddled with 821 holes, sustained 2 napalm bombs, and a torpedo blowing a 22 by 39 foot hole in her starboard side killing 25 of the 34 murdered. Miraculously, the Liberty refused to sink and was able to get underway under her own power. The Israelis were observed machine gunning 3 life rafts. It was obvious to the Liberty crew that survivors were not to be taken. When hostilities ceased, helicopters were observed overhead with Israeli commandos at the ready to finish us off. Fortuitously, the Israelis picked up an invalid message that U.S. help was on the way. Israel was reluctantly forced to terminate its ongoing attack. Ironically help did not arrive until 18 hours after the attack when the Liberty was only 15 minutes away from USS Saratoga and USS America fighter jets.

The US Naval official inquiry was deliberately falsified to compliment the Israeli story (as testified by retired Navy Lawyer, Captain Ward Boston). Details acquired were either changed or dropped so that the Israeli version which became public was that the attack was a tragic mistake. The orders to falsify came directly from President Johnson for political reasons. The survivors of the USS Liberty were told never to talk about the incident under penalty of fine and/or imprisonment. Military orders that followed were in line with the White House which was not to indicate on any monuments and the like that Israel was the attacker. The USS Liberty skipper, Captain William McGonagle was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions to keep the ship afloat and operational. His award was given to him not by President Johnson at the White House. There is no other explanation to believe other than the President did not want to jeopardize the Jewish vote in an upcoming presidential election. The Captain’s medal was presented to him by the Secretary of the Navy at a low level Washington Navy Yard ceremony.

CONCLUSION

What a crime it would be for historical reasons if the US Government continues to lie about details of the Six Day War. In the end, truth always wins out. What a shame for elected officials who will not stand up to be counted. For the sake of our fallen 34 shipmates, we will not give up.