Idaho Observer: Remember the USS Liberty

Remember the USS Liberty

USS Liberty survivor Kenneth Ecker is pictured at center with other casualties of the unprovoked, unexplained and (so far) uninvestigated June 8, 1967 Israeli air and naval attack on an American ship in international waters. USS Liberty survivors believe that, after almost 40 years, Israel owes America an explanation—and a Congress willing to demand one.

The USS Liberty, a neutral ship in international waters, was attacked without warning by air and naval forces of the State of Israel on June 8, 1967, resulting in the deaths of 34 American sailors and the wounding of 171 others out of a crew of 304 men. USS Liberty had not engaged in any provocative conduct, nor was she any kind of obvious threat to other ships or aircraft in the area. Israel claimed that the whole affair had been a tragic accident based on mistaken identification of the ship. The attack on the USS Liberty is the only attack of its kind in US Navy history NOT to be the subject of a Congressional or U.S. government investigation. Last year, USS Liberty survivors filed a formal "Report of War Crimes Committed Against U.S. Military Personnel, June 8, 1967" with the Department of Defense. This is the first time that an American military unit has had to take this step simply to have the war crimes that were committed against them properly and completely acknowledged, investigated and resolved.

Please support the USS Liberty survivors by contacting Congress and the Pentagon.

Below is a letter from Ecker to his senator requesting that he support the convening of a body to investigate the Israeli government’s decision to attack the USS Liberty. Since the American people have supported Israel with a couple $trillion in aid and other special considerations AND is the primary beneficiary of belligerent U.S. military activity in the Middle East, investigating its motives to attack the Liberty and murder the Americans on board is appropriate at this time. Ecker’s letter can be used as a model. The electronic version will be available on The IO website. For more information about the USS Liberty incident, go to www.ussliberty.com. Then send a letter to your congresscritters requesting either their support for an investigation or a reason, in writing, why they would not be supportive.

In 1967, the USS Liberty was attacked. Thirty-four American servicemen were killed and 174 were injured in the two-hour assault carried out by Israeli warplanes and torpedo boats. Israel claimed that the whole affair had been a tragic accident based on mistaken identification of the ship. The American government has explicitly stated that it found the explanation for the attack "literally incomprehensible."

The attack on the USS Liberty is the only attack of its kind in US Navy history NOT to be the subject of a Congressional or US government investigation. This fact has been verified in writing by a researcher on the staff of the Senate Historian and can be independently verified by contacting the Congressional Research Service. More information about the attack can be found at either of the following two websites www.ussliberty.com or http://www.usslibertyinquiry.com.

Last year, USS Liberty survivors filed a formal Report of War Crimes Committed Against U.S. Military Personnel, June 8, 1967, with the Department of Defense. This is the first time in history that an American military unit has had to take this step simply to have the War Crimes that were committed against them properly and completely acknowledged, investigated and resolved.

The Department of Defense Directive under which this Report was filed on June 8, 2005, requires the DOD to conduct an investigation of the allegations made in this Report.

I am writing to elicit your public support for our efforts to ensure the aforementioned War Crimes Report is investigated as required by U.S. and international law.