Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 9,001
Israelis shoot at US-Americans:
The "Liberty Incident" ...
On the morning of June 8, 1967 - the Israeli-Arab "Six Day War" is in full swing - the US ship USS "Liberty" cruises under Commander William Loren McGonagle ...
... in international waters in the Mediterranean, 14 nautical miles off the Israeli coast.
At first glance, the ship built at the end of World War II looks like a freighter, but that's just a facade!
The "Liberty" is crammed full of the latest reconnaissance and espionage technology!
And although the "Liberty" comes along as a reconnaissance ship of the US Navy (callsign AGTR-5), that is also wrong! The real operator is the top secret US spy service NSA!
At almost exactly 9 am, the USS "Liberty" is suddenly attacked by several aircraft!
The attackers are clearly identified as "Mirage" fighter planes ...
... and "Mystere" of the Israeli airforce...:
The US ship is flown over a dozen times before the Israelis actually attack it!
But then the ship is covered with a hail of rockets as well as high-explosive devices and napalm bombs. At the same time, several Israeli torpedo speedboats come up and also bombard the "Liberty" with their board weapons!
When the attackers turn away, the USS "Liberty" is nothing but a smoking wreck - there are many injured and 34 US sailors are dead!
Commander McGonagle let himself photographed in his shattered cabin ...:
Under the demonstrative escort of an US destroyer ...
... the "Liberty" limps to Malta and is repaired there so poorly that the ship can return to the USA ...:
There they are only good for scrapping - in the photo, shortly after docking, the coffins for the killed sailors are being brought on board.
Both the US and Israeli authorities noticeable quickly announce that it was an unfortunate mistake.
Israel pays $ 3,323,500 in compensation - also noticeable quickly - (and another $ 6 million in December 1980).
Today we know:
It was a planned attack, which is proven by the Israeli radio traffic that was intercepted at the time! The Navy was completely surprised by the attack and immediately initiated countermeasures.
But several of the aircraft carrier USS "America" (CV-66) cruising near the incident ...
... launched A4 fighter-bombers ...
... were mysteriously recalled ...:
One thing is still certain today: Both sides knew that the "Liberty" was there, who it was and what it was doing.
Conspiracy theories continue to bloom to this day.
One of the most famous legends is: Israel was under strong military pressure during the Six Day War and wanted to "internationalize" the conflict by attacking the "Liberty".
The attack should afterwards be blamed on the Arabs and - similar to the (alleged!) Attack on the destroyer USS "Maddox" off Haiphong, the USA had provided a domestic political pretext for its involvement in the Vietnam War - the USA as a warring party in the Middle East Engage Conflict.
(President Trump did just that by simply moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018.)
But the most plausible cause of the "Liberty" incident is:
The Israelis simply had no interest in letting US spy technicians look into their (military) cards ...
In 1968, Commander McGonagle was awarded the Medal of Honor of Congress for his level-headed behavior on June 8, 1967...:
The "Liberty Incident" ...
On the morning of June 8, 1967 - the Israeli-Arab "Six Day War" is in full swing - the US ship USS "Liberty" cruises under Commander William Loren McGonagle ...
... in international waters in the Mediterranean, 14 nautical miles off the Israeli coast.
At first glance, the ship built at the end of World War II looks like a freighter, but that's just a facade!
The "Liberty" is crammed full of the latest reconnaissance and espionage technology!
And although the "Liberty" comes along as a reconnaissance ship of the US Navy (callsign AGTR-5), that is also wrong! The real operator is the top secret US spy service NSA!
At almost exactly 9 am, the USS "Liberty" is suddenly attacked by several aircraft!
The attackers are clearly identified as "Mirage" fighter planes ...
... and "Mystere" of the Israeli airforce...:
The US ship is flown over a dozen times before the Israelis actually attack it!
But then the ship is covered with a hail of rockets as well as high-explosive devices and napalm bombs. At the same time, several Israeli torpedo speedboats come up and also bombard the "Liberty" with their board weapons!
When the attackers turn away, the USS "Liberty" is nothing but a smoking wreck - there are many injured and 34 US sailors are dead!
Commander McGonagle let himself photographed in his shattered cabin ...:
Under the demonstrative escort of an US destroyer ...
... the "Liberty" limps to Malta and is repaired there so poorly that the ship can return to the USA ...:
There they are only good for scrapping - in the photo, shortly after docking, the coffins for the killed sailors are being brought on board.
Both the US and Israeli authorities noticeable quickly announce that it was an unfortunate mistake.
Israel pays $ 3,323,500 in compensation - also noticeable quickly - (and another $ 6 million in December 1980).
Today we know:
It was a planned attack, which is proven by the Israeli radio traffic that was intercepted at the time! The Navy was completely surprised by the attack and immediately initiated countermeasures.
But several of the aircraft carrier USS "America" (CV-66) cruising near the incident ...
... launched A4 fighter-bombers ...
... were mysteriously recalled ...:
One thing is still certain today: Both sides knew that the "Liberty" was there, who it was and what it was doing.
Conspiracy theories continue to bloom to this day.
One of the most famous legends is: Israel was under strong military pressure during the Six Day War and wanted to "internationalize" the conflict by attacking the "Liberty".
The attack should afterwards be blamed on the Arabs and - similar to the (alleged!) Attack on the destroyer USS "Maddox" off Haiphong, the USA had provided a domestic political pretext for its involvement in the Vietnam War - the USA as a warring party in the Middle East Engage Conflict.
(President Trump did just that by simply moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018.)
But the most plausible cause of the "Liberty" incident is:
The Israelis simply had no interest in letting US spy technicians look into their (military) cards ...
In 1968, Commander McGonagle was awarded the Medal of Honor of Congress for his level-headed behavior on June 8, 1967...:
