The Attack on the Liberty: The Untold Story of Israel's Deadly 1967 Assault on a U.S. Spy Ship by James M. Scott

Author:James M. Scott [Scott, James M.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Israel-Arab War, Israeli, 1967 -- Naval operations, Naval, Liberty (Ship), 20th Century, https://archive.org/details/attackonlibertyu0000scot, 1967 -- Aerial operations, General, United States, Military, American -- Middle East -- History -- 20th century, United States. Navy -- History -- 20th century, Espionage, History
ISBN: 9781439166055
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2009-06-02T18:28:55.766497+00:00

The court recessed from 10:45 A.M. until early afternoon, when it summoned the skipper. McGonagle had started the cruise worrying—and blasting junior officers—over mundane matters, such as reviewing routine messages and drill performance. Those early concerns must have seemed trivial now, considering that two-thirds of his men were dead or injured. The spy ship no one was supposed to know existed had appeared in front-page articles in the nation’s top newspapers, on the evening news broadcasts, and was discussed and debated among senior leaders of the Pentagon, State Department, and even the White House.

In the hours after the attack, McGonagle’s officers had reported him aloof and pensive, likely replaying the assault in his mind. He said little that first night as he sipped black coffee, sighted the North Star, and ordered turns of the rudder. Days later, alone in his stateroom, he nursed Spanish brandy the ship’s doctor gave him and prepared for the court of inquiry. Lieutenant Commander William Pettyjohn, who came aboard for the voyage to Malta, had checked on McGonagle periodically, finding the skipper stretched out in his bunk, writing and editing his notes. Unlike Kidd, McGonagle had no family legacy or contacts to protect him. He knew his career was at risk, that commanding officers rarely emerged from inquiries unscathed, much less lauded.

The court began by acknowledging McGonagle’s injuries. “Let the record show that although the witness is experiencing considerable pain from shrapnel wounds in his leg, that he willingly appeared at this hearing.” McGonagle then recounted details as he remembered them. He discussed the precautions he took entering the war zone, including stationing sailors at the Liberty’s machine guns. The skipper described reconnaissance planes he saw buzz the Liberty that morning and how he watched through binoculars as the first wave of fighter jets rolled in for the attack. “It seemed to me that the attacks were made in a crisscross fashion over the ship, with each attack coming at approximately forty-five seconds to one minute intervals,” he testified. “It is estimated that the total air attack was completed in approximately five to six minutes.”

The skipper also downplayed his shrapnel injuries. “I was not knocked off my feet, I was only shaken up and it made me dance around a little bit, but my injuries did not appear to me to be of any consequence,” he said. “Since I could walk and there was no apparent pain, I gave no further consideration to these minor injuries.” When the torpedo boats were about fifteen miles away, he noticed the American flag had been shot down so he ordered a new one hoisted. McGonagle told the court that he spotted the Israeli flag on the torpedo boats about the time one appeared to signal the Liberty. He ordered the Liberty’s machine gunners to hold fire, but the gunners failed to hear him and fired anyway. To McGonagle, the machine gun fire appeared “extremely effective.” “As far as the torpedo boats are concerned,” he said, “I am sure that they felt that they were under fire.

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