Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

"Betrayal behind Israeli attack on U.S. ship" by Admiral Thomas Moorer USN (Ret.)
Houston Chronicle ^ | Jan 8, 03 | Admiral Moorer

Posted on 01/13/2004 10:40:22 PM PST by churchillbuff

After State Department officials and historians assembled in Washington, D.C., last week to discuss the 1967 war in the Middle East, I am compelled to speak out about one of U.S. history's most shocking cover-ups.

On June 8, 1967, Israel attacked our proud naval ship -- the USS Liberty -- killing 34 American servicemen and wounding 172. Those men were then betrayed and left to die by our own government.

U.S. military rescue aircraft were recalled, not once, but twice, through direct intervention by the Johnson administration. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's cancellation of the Navy's attempt to rescue the Liberty, which I personally confirmed from the commanders of the aircraft carriers America and Saratoga, was the most disgraceful act I witnessed in my entire military career.

To add insult to injury, Congress, to this day, has failed to hold formal hearings on Israel's attack on this American ship. No official investigation of Israel's attack has ever permitted the testimony of the surviving crew members.

A 1967 investigation by the Navy, upon which all other reports are based, has now been fully discredited as a cover-up by its senior attorney. Capt. Ward Boston, in a sworn affidavit, recently revealed that the court was ordered by the White House to cover up the incident and find that Israel's attack was "a case of mistaken identity."

Some distinguished colleagues and I formed an independent commission to investigate the attack on the USS Liberty. After an exhaustive review of previous reports, naval and other military records, including eyewitness testimony from survivors, we recently presented our findings on Capitol Hill. They include:

· Israeli reconnaissance aircraft closely studied the Liberty during an eight-hour period prior to the attack, one flying within 200 feet of the ship. Weather reports confirm the day was clear with unlimited visibility. The Liberty was a clearly marked American ship in international waters, flying an American flag and carrying large U.S. Navy hull letters and numbers on its bow.

Despite claims by Israeli intelligence that they confused the Liberty with a small Egyptian transport, the Liberty was conspicuously different from any vessel in the Egyptian navy. It was the most sophisticated intelligence ship in the world in 1967. With its massive radio antennae, including a large satellite dish, it looked like a large lobster and was one of the most easily identifiable ships afloat.

· Israel attempted to prevent the Liberty's radio operators from sending a call for help by jamming American emergency radio channels.

· Israeli torpedo boats machine-gunned lifeboats at close range that had been lowered to rescue the most seriously wounded.

As a result, our commission concluded that:

· There is compelling evidence that Israel's attack was a deliberate attempt to destroy an American ship and kill her entire crew.

· In attacking the USS Liberty, Israel committed acts of murder against U.S. servicemen and an act of war against the United States

· The White House knowingly covered up the facts of this attack from the American people.

· The truth continues to be concealed to the present day in what can only be termed a national disgrace.

What was Israel's motive in launching this attack? Congress must address this question with full cooperation from the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and the military intelligence services.

The men of the USS Liberty represented the United States. They were attacked for two hours, causing 70 percent of American casualties, and the eventual loss of our best intelligence ship.

These sailors and Marines were entitled to our best defense. We gave them no defense.

Did our government put Israel's interests ahead of our own? If so, why? Does our government continue to subordinate American interests to Israeli interests? These are important questions that should be investigated by an independent, fully empowered commission of the American government.

The American people deserve to know the truth about this attack. We must finally shed some light on one of the blackest pages in American naval history. It is a duty we owe not only to the brave men of the USS Liberty, but to every man and woman who is asked to wear the uniform of the United States.

Moorer was chairman of the joint chiefs of staff from 1970 to 1974. He is joined in the independent commission of inquiry by Gen. Ray Davis (recently deceased); Rear Adm. Merlin Staring; former Judge Advocate General of the Navy and Ambassador James Akins.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: investigation; thomasmoorer; ussliberty
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-5051-74 next last

1 posted on 01/13/2004 10:40:23 PM PST by churchillbuff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
USS 'Liberty' hit was unintentional, says CIA

A few research links over on this thread.

2 posted on 01/13/2004 10:43:11 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
U.S. military rescue aircraft were recalled, not once, but twice, through direct intervention by the Johnson administration. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's cancellation of the Navy's attempt to rescue the Liberty, which I personally confirmed from the commanders of the aircraft carriers America and Saratoga, was the most disgraceful act I witnessed in my entire military career.

Typical actions of the Johnson administration. I can't figure out DemocRATS who want to consult with McNamara about defense policy. He's a weasel.

3 posted on 01/13/2004 10:44:58 PM PST by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
How does one unintentionally hit a US warship? Is this the same as Jonathan Pollard 'unintentionally' spying on the US?
4 posted on 01/13/2004 10:47:40 PM PST by cyborg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Paleo Conservative
I don't think Reagan or Bush would have called back the rescuers. Johnson and his cronies had a habit of putting American boys in harms way and denying them the right to defend themselves.
5 posted on 01/13/2004 10:48:33 PM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Thanks churchillbuff for pointing out that it is the terrorist supporters in the US State Dept
who continue this nonsense from decades ago.

WAKE UP AMERICA


6 posted on 01/13/2004 10:50:03 PM PST by Diogenesis (If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cyborg
Nah. It's more like the way we unintentionally shot down an Iranian civilain airliner back in the 1980s.
7 posted on 01/13/2004 10:50:36 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: piasa; cyborg
Nah. It's more like the way we unintentionally shot down an Iranian civilain airliner back in the 1980s.

I think the Iranians were at fault for flying a commercial passenger plane through a war zone.

8 posted on 01/13/2004 10:53:06 PM PST by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: piasa
oh okay then... but why cover it up even if it was a mistake?
9 posted on 01/13/2004 10:53:48 PM PST by cyborg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: piasa
The "betrayal" that Moorer talks about is by our own government, for never formally and openly investigating this incident. Talk about NOT supporting our troops! The lives of the Liberty dead apparently don't mean much to our "leaders"
10 posted on 01/13/2004 10:55:06 PM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Paleo Conservative
I agree.
11 posted on 01/13/2004 10:55:16 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Paleo Conservative
I'm sure it wasn't an error in making flight plans either!
12 posted on 01/13/2004 10:55:57 PM PST by cyborg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
This is a favorite topic for anti-Semites. They'll never let it go.
13 posted on 01/13/2004 10:58:07 PM PST by claudiustg (Go Sharon! Go Bush!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
The truth, whatever it is, needs to come out.
14 posted on 01/13/2004 10:58:07 PM PST by winner3000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff

Idiot warning.

No amount of investigation will satisfy the Jew haters.

15 posted on 01/13/2004 11:08:25 PM PST by zarf (..where lieth those little things with the sort of raffia work base that has an attachment?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Sorry to say but we were playing both sides in this war and that is why the ship was hit. We were feeding some info to the egyptians and the isrealis stopped it. Thats the truth as ugly as it is. Not justifying it, cadoning it, just explaining it.
16 posted on 01/13/2004 11:22:57 PM PST by Walkingfeather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: seamole
ping
17 posted on 01/13/2004 11:34:52 PM PST by DeuceTraveler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: zarf
"No amount of investigation will satisfy the Jew haters."

You must have a difficult life wandering around with that "continually persecuted" feeling.

Grow up. These people are looking for the truth, no matter how ugly it is.

18 posted on 01/13/2004 11:45:54 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Walkingfeather
Or the Israelis were trying to make it look like an Egyptian hit so that we would intervene and it went wrong... Who knows…
19 posted on 01/13/2004 11:49:48 PM PST by DB (©)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch
---You must have a difficult life wandering around with that "continually persecuted" feeling.

Grow up. These people are looking for the truth, no matter how ugly it is.---

It isn't the truth, but it is ugly. That's enough for "these people". You'll notice the Admiral makes the lineup and what a lineup it is.

http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/Others/Others-Cat-Jews.html
20 posted on 01/14/2004 12:03:38 AM PST by claudiustg (Go Sharon! Go Bush!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

Comment #21 Removed by Moderator

To: churchillbuff
Those intercepts showed that the Israeli rescue pilots first identified the ship as Egyptian and gradually realized, after spotting a US flag, that the ship was American.

"A CIA memo of June 13 reported they had no intercepts from the attacking planes and torpedo boats, but that the helicopter pilots' communication left little doubt that the Israelis had failed to identify the Liberty as a US ship," said Harriet Schwar, editor of the newly released volume.

"A follow-up CIA memo on June 21st noted that the Liberty had been identified prior to the attacks but concluded that the Israelis were not aware at the time of the attack that they were attacking a US ship. It concluded that the attack was not made in malice, but was by mistake, representing gross negligence. The Defense Intelligence Agency reached a similar conclusion," Schwar added

22 posted on 01/14/2004 1:52:39 AM PST by AmericaUnited
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
ANyone thinking that this tragedy resulted in Israeli refusal to cooperate with America just better be reminded that during GulfWarI Israel staid put when the US told Israel to stay while Iraqi Scuds were bombing TelAviv.

This disaster can probably be credited for better US-Israel coordination nowadays. Bringing it back is would require us to bring back also our faults and granted behaviors with respect to Israel... such as arming Egypt and jew killing neighbors to the teeth.... for example.
23 posted on 01/14/2004 2:00:18 AM PST by JudgemAll
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Walkingfeather
That's what I think the case is... the Israelis hit the USS Liberty because it was feeding information to the Arabs. It being a highly classified mission, the government went into coverup and denial mode.
24 posted on 01/14/2004 2:04:07 AM PST by thoughtomator ("I will do whatever the Americans want because I saw what happened in Iraq, and I was afraid"-Qadafi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
You know, you could have just bet any amount of money that hopeless bastard McNamara would have played the part of recalling our jets and covering this up.

If I had my way he would be hung by the neck in Lafayette Square Park across the street from the White house and left to rot as a warning to all self appointed "elite" bureaucrats.

Regards,.

25 posted on 01/14/2004 3:56:46 AM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Click here for USS Liberty website...


26 posted on 01/14/2004 4:40:56 AM PST by Jaxter ("Vivit Post Funera Virtus")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch
There are whole groups of people who despise truth.
27 posted on 01/14/2004 4:52:53 AM PST by Spirited
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Walkingfeather
Sorry to say but we were playing both sides in this war and that is why the ship was hit. We were feeding some info to the egyptians and the isrealis stopped it.

Evidence?

28 posted on 01/14/2004 5:04:35 AM PST by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch
These people are looking for the truth, no matter how ugly it is

LOL!! You only want one conclusion and you won't stop until you hear it!! You're so full of crap it's beyond words.

Have fun shooting your cap gun on the Grassy Knoll.

29 posted on 01/14/2004 6:26:04 AM PST by zarf (..where lieth those little things with the sort of raffia work base that has an attachment?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Walkingfeather
Didn't the U.S. give a hands off approach to Israel until after the 6-day war ?
30 posted on 01/14/2004 6:42:10 AM PST by mel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Everyone is missing the point here.

This topic is ancient history and has absolutely no connection to todays relationship between Israel and America.

I don't think anyone can really doubt Israels loyalty to the U.S. Everytime the U.S. even blinks disagreement, Israelis go into a public panic about who messed up and angered Uncle Sam. And this is even when Uncle Sam asks Israeli civilians to bleed a little bit for regional considerations.

Heck, Israel is the only nation that literally fights with America in Iraq (and elsewhere) without even being publically credited. And Israelis understand this.

The main point here, is that for some mysterious (or not so mysterious) reason, everytime U.S./Israeli relations hit an all-time high, the State Department (or similar anti-American organization) launches a 'discussion' of the Liberty incident.

The agenda here is clear.
31 posted on 01/14/2004 7:08:53 AM PST by solmar_israel (Break the alliance with Old Europe)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: solmar_israel
the State Department (or similar anti-American organization) launches a 'discussion' of the Liberty incident. "

You consider Admirar Moorer and other top military leaders who had responsibility over the men of the Liberty to be "antiamerican"? It think that's a slur against American patriots who merely want an accounting - a public investigation - of what happened, and why the Johnson administration may have actively prevented the rescue of American sailors. From your indifference to this issue, I have to assume 1) you had no relatives aboard the Liberty; and 2) you may be one of those peacnicks who doesn't support American troops.

32 posted on 01/14/2004 8:19:14 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: zarf
Have fun shooting your cap gun on the Grassy Knoll.

You slander Admiral Moorer and other American leaders who wear our uniform when you suggest that they're "Conspiracy theorists" merely because they want an investigation of why the Liberty was shot at over a period of some time, and why the Johnson administration may have actively prevented the rescue of the men of the Liberty. These were American soldiers and sailors. You don't care about what happened to them and why?

33 posted on 01/14/2004 8:22:02 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: claudiustg
This is a favorite topic for anti-Semites. They'll never let it go.

I consider your statement a vicious slander of Admiral Moorer, who is a patriot who cares about the men of the Liberty. Why were they shot at, with 32 being killed? Why didn't the Johnson administration, apparently, thwart rescue attempts? There's never been an open and public hearing or investigation by Congress. And when historians get together, as they did recently, to discuss that war, this incident often gets short shrift. Admirar Moorer thinks that's a disservice to the men who were shot and the men who died. It's despicable for you to slander his concerns by slinging a slur at him. Are the survivors of the Liberty - - - American troops all --- who have urged an official investigation all these years, also "antisemites"? If you think that, you have about as much respect for our troops as the peaceniks in the street.

34 posted on 01/14/2004 8:26:27 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: thoughtomator
That's what I think the case is... the Israelis hit the USS Liberty because it was feeding information to the Arabs. It being a highly classified mission, the government went into coverup and denial mode.

Evidence? You don't have anymore evidence for that explanation than we have for any other explanation - - - yet it's curious, with no evidence one way or the other, you leap to blame America first. You're Like the Leftists: America's wrong and others can do no wrong.

35 posted on 01/14/2004 8:29:37 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: JudgemAll
Bringing it back is would require us to bring back also our faults

Excuse me? You want this incident to go uninvestigated? That tells me you don't support American troops, and you had no relatives aboard the Liberty. You're one of the blame-American-troops-first bunch. (Whereas others -- or at least those who shot the Liberty, and, it seems, Lyndon Johnson, who for some reason didn't rescue the Liberty sailors, can do no wrong in your eyes)

36 posted on 01/14/2004 8:33:40 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: zarf
No amount of investigation will satisfy the Jew haters.

Sounds like you're one of those Leftists who's a hater of the American military. What other conclusion can I draw by your slur on Admiral Moorer and the men of the Liberty?

37 posted on 01/14/2004 8:35:26 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: zarf
Idiot warning.

So, with you sophmoric crayon picture, you want to make the point that Admiral Moorer (and the other retired military leaders, and the survivors of the Liberty) are idiots. That's like Bill Clinton calling Bush a lowlife.

38 posted on 01/14/2004 8:38:10 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Actually, the analogy is pretty apt. The Warren Commission Report and the official fairy tale about what happened to the Liberty have about the same amount of credibility.
39 posted on 01/14/2004 8:38:37 AM PST by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: aristeides
The Warren Commission Report and the official fairy tale

Of course, there has been nothing comparable to the Warren Commission for the Liberty. No official investigation. Shows how little regard our leaders have for our men in uniform. (Some freepers don't support the troops, either - - or at least not the sailors of the Liberty, because they slander people like Admiral Moorer who want an investigation of what happened and why the Johnson administration didn't come to these men's aid)

40 posted on 01/14/2004 8:41:33 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
The real question is: How many investigations, how exhaustive the research and how long will it take for you to accept that a definitive conclusion has been reached?

The answer is an infinite number until one of the investigations comes up with a conclusion that will satisfy your preconceptions.

You join a long line of conspiracy buffs here on FR.

41 posted on 01/14/2004 8:53:45 AM PST by zarf (..where lieth those little things with the sort of raffia work base that has an attachment?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: zarf
You join a long line of conspiracy buffs here on FR.

You didn't read Admirar Moorer's article, bub. There's never been an official congressional investigation. You don't care enough about our troops to care about that, apparently. Just like a Leftist.

42 posted on 01/14/2004 8:57:19 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: zarf
Says Admiral Moorer: "To add insult to injury, Congress, to this day, has failed to hold formal hearings on Israel's attack on this American ship. No official investigation of Israel's attack has ever permitted the testimony of the surviving crew members."

Call HIM names, not me, buddy. At least I know he's served this country and its flag. I know nothing about you except that you post sophmoric rantings.

43 posted on 01/14/2004 8:59:39 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Here's a direct quote from your hero.

---I've never seen a President -- I don't care who he is -- stand up to [the Jews] ... They always get what they want. The Israelis know what is going on all the time. I got to the point where I wouldn't write anything down. If the American people understood what a grip these people have got on our government, they would rise up in arms."

-Admiral Thomas Moorer, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,

from Richard H. Curtiss's "A Changing Image: American Perceptions of the Arab-Israeli Dispute." American Educational Trust, 1986, p. 267.---

Here's a google search on "Admiral Moorer Jews". He's on every anti-Semitic websight on the web! Either he's a Jew hater or a useful idiot. Which do you think?

http://www.google.com/search?q=Admiral+Moorer+jews%0A&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
44 posted on 01/14/2004 9:06:51 AM PST by claudiustg (Go Sharon! Go Bush!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: A+Bert
These are the threads that make me miss you the most.
45 posted on 01/14/2004 9:10:10 AM PST by Rebelbase ( Lost tagline)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: claudiustg
your hero.

I don't know anything about that quote, or the sites you're talking about. I know he served the US in uniform honorably, and he has a legitimate concern about what happened to the men of the Liberty. I can't help it that you don't share that concern, but please leave the slurs out if it. Freepers like you sound like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, but instead of introducing "racism" into every discussion, you casually use a different term of abuse to silence people you disagree with.

46 posted on 01/14/2004 9:54:05 AM PST by churchillbuff (?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
---I don't know anything about that quote, or the sites you're talking about.---

The old "I know nothing. I see nothing." defense.
47 posted on 01/14/2004 10:24:32 AM PST by claudiustg (Go Sharon! Go Bush!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Evidence? You don't have anymore evidence for that explanation than we have for any other explanation - - - yet it's curious, with no evidence one way or the other, you leap to blame America first. You're Like the Leftists: America's wrong and others can do no wrong.

That is uncalled for. What I proposed seems the most reasonable explanation for what occurred, given the facts we know.

If you're such the expert, then you tell us what happened. You don't know any more than anyone else what the real story is.

48 posted on 01/14/2004 12:20:11 PM PST by thoughtomator ("I will do whatever the Americans want because I saw what happened in Iraq, and I was afraid"-Qadafi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
That was 37 years ago! Get over it!!!!.

Let's pick a fight with anyone and everyone who we suspect may have ever done us wrong no matter how long ago it was.

Sheesh, do you have nothing better to do with your time?
49 posted on 01/14/2004 12:27:24 PM PST by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thoughtomator
What I proposed seems the most reasonable explanation for what occurred, given the facts we know.

Most reasonable explanation? The most reasonable explanation is the one to be found in this book: Operation Cyanide: How the Bombing of the USS Liberty Nearly Caused World War III.

50 posted on 01/14/2004 12:37:00 PM PST by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-5051-74 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson