Monthly Gathering—April 2003
Attack on the U.S.S. Liberty Accident of war or premeditated assault?
June 8, 1967, the third day of the Arab-Israeli “June War.” The weather in international waters off the Gaza strip was clear and sunny with unlimited visibility. While conducting a still unexplained mission, the Liberty, a state-of-the art electronic intelligence gathering vessel of the U.S. Navy, is attacked without warning by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats.
Almost 35 years have passed since that day when 34 Americans died and 171 were wounded onboard the Liberty. Yet, despite Israeli claims of an accidental attack due to mistaken identity, controversy still surrounds the incident. Some U.S. government officials have, from the first, believed the Israeli were fully aware of the ship’s nationality and that the attack was intentional. In 1991, for instance, former Secretary of State Dean Rusk wrote in his memoirs: “I was never satisfied with the Israeli explanation… The attack was outrageous.”
Why did the Israeli attack the Liberty and, as some survivors claim, attempt to sink her with all hands on board? What was the Liberty’s mission and did it contribute to the attack? Why has there never been a full investigation of Israel’s actions by the U.S. military or government?
Join us on Saturday, April 19 for our monthly gathering when our guest speaker will be Jack Beatty, a survivor of the Liberty’s last voyage. Beatty will provide a first-hand account of the incident and some possible explanations for the attack.
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