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Better find out why LBJ didn't attack Israel in response.

Sec. of Defense at the time, Robert McNamara is still living. He was with LBJ when the American fighters were recalled. Has anyone asked him why the decision was made to recall them? Time is running out on this one.

This decision cost 20 additional lives (at least).

I don't know why McNamara recalled the planes.

But he did tell Congress on July 26, 1967: “It was the conclusion of the investigatory body, headed by an admiral of the Navy in whom we have great confidence, that the attack was not intentional.”

In 1987, McNamara repeated his belief that the attack was a mistake, telling a caller on the “Larry King Show” that he had seen nothing in the 20 years since to change his mind that there had been no “coverup.”

So, either you will take McNamara at face value, or you will accuse him of covering it up. If he is covering it up, I think it's highly unlikely you will turn him now.

Allow me to add to that reply.

If the USA was spying on Israel, and this spying was causing the Egyptians to learn about Israeli troop movements, then McNamara could very well have realized that the attack, while a serious affront, was at least justified from the Israeli point of view.

Further, if we in turn attacked Israel, that would have been the defeat of Israel to the Arabs, and Israel was just beginning to become the lynchpin in our containment policy during the cold war. From that vantage point, destroying Israel would have been against our interests.

Yes, we should have intervened to save our men. Yes, we should have shot down the Israeli planes and sank their submarine. I can't really say why we didn't, but I try to think it all the way through. Expediency is sometimes American policy, despite our professions otherwise. Hence, our support of Arafat despite his murder of American diplomats in Khartoum, his order to murder Americans on the Achille Lauro (Mr. Klinghoffer), and his work to murder other Americans in Europe and in Israel.

1503 One MTB returned to ship and signaled [sic], “Do you need help.”

Commanding officer directed that, “Negative” be sent in reply.

So, it's possible that the air support was sent back because the Liberty replied "negative".

Sec. of Defense at the time, Robert McNamara is still living. He was with LBJ when the American fighters were recalled. Has anyone asked him why the decision was made to recall them? ...
This decision cost 20 additional lives (at least).

And maybe saved hundreds of thousands (at least).
There was a Soviet bomber base in Alexandria, plus several USSR-crewed missile sites in the Sinai.

Any guesses as to Ivan's reaction if a flight of F-4 Phantoms went racing in towards Gaza ?