On June 8th, 1967, Israeli warplanes and torpedo boats launched a ferocious two-hour attack on and attempted to sink the USS Liberty as she sailed under a U.S. Flag in International waters. Of the 294 men aboard the vessel, 34 were killed and 174 were wounded by a well-coordinated, multi-wave assault that included the use of napalm. Rescue aircraft had been launched but were recalled in mid-flight by direct orders from President Lyndon B. Johnson, but why? The October 2003 Independent Commission of Inquiry found that “Israel committed acts of murder against American servicemen and an act of war against the United States.”
- Why after 50 years are the USS Liberty survivors still seeking justice?
- What: USS Liberty Remembrance Day Petition Drive (Volunteers Needed)
- When: Thursday, June 8th, 2017 from 12 Noon to 4:00 PM
- Where: Volusia County Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave, DeLand
- Who: Proudly presented by the Dr. Bob Bowman Memorial Chapter of WeAreChange.org (We Are Change Central Florida)
- Contact: Phil Restino of We Are Change Central Florida
- Cell: (386) 235-3268; email: WeAreChangeCFL@gmail.com
2017 USS Liberty Remembrance Day Flyer-Mailer (PDF)
Know Their Story
BBC Documentary USS Liberty Dead in the Water
“They took out all of our transmitting antennas, and shortly thereafter deposited napalm there on the deck. It appeared to me that it was the intent of the attacker to take out all communications and keep all people off deck so they couldn’t re-establish any sort of antennas or communication system. If it was an accident, it was the best planned accident I ever heard of. The only reason we got the SOS out was because my crazy troops were climbing the antenna string and long wire while they were being shot at.” -Dave Lewis, USS Liberty Survivor Veteran
The BBC documentary USS Liberty Dead in the Water follows the story of the attack moment by moment.
USS Liberty Veterans Association
“The War Crimes Report we filed lists allegations of acts committed during the attack on our ship, including:
- The jamming of our radios on both US Navy tactical and international maritime distress frequencies;
- The use of unmarked aircraft by the forces attacking the USS Liberty;
- The deliberate machine gunning of life rafts we had dropped over the side in anticipation of abandoning ship; and
- The recall of two flights of rescue aircraft that had een launched from Sixth Fleet aircraft carriers. After those flights were recalled, Sixth Fleet personnel listened to our calls for help as the attack continued knowing they were forbidden to come to our assistance.” —USS Liberty Veterans Association Website
The Veterans’ Mission
The crew of the USS Liberty is the most decorated crew since World War II. It is among the most decorated crews for a single engagement in the entire history of the United States Navy. Yet, the attack has never received a full investigation, as required by law.
Learn more about the survivors and sign their electronic petition on the Honor USS Liberty Vets Survivors Website here.
Ray McGovern’s Article Not Remembering the USS Liberty:
“It is safe to assume that when President Donald Trump lands in Israel Monday, he will not have been briefed on the irrefutable evidence that, nearly 50 years ago – on June 8, 1967 – Israel deliberately attacked the USS Liberty in international waters, killing 34 U.S. sailors and wounding more than 170 other crew. All of Trump’s predecessors – Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama – have refused to address the ugly reality and/or covered up the attack on the Liberty.” -Ray McGovern, Not Remembering the USS Liberty
Veteran CIA officer Ray McGovern’s article Not Remembering the USS Liberty addresses the cover-up of the Israeli attack of the USS Liberty.