On June 8, 1967, during the height of the Six-Day War between Israel and several Arab nations, the USS Liberty, a U.S. Navy technical research ship, was attacked by Israeli air and naval forces in international waters off the Sinai Peninsula. This incident resulted in 34 American sailors killed and 171 wounded, marking one of the deadliest attacks on a U.S. vessel since World War II. Israel quickly apologized, attributing the strike to a tragic case of mistaken identity amid the chaos of battle, claiming the Liberty was confused for an Egyptian warship. However, survivors, intelligence officials, and subsequent investigations have painted a starkly different picture: a calculated, intentional operation designed to eliminate the ship and its crew. The scandal lies not just in the attack itself but in the apparent U.S. government cover-up that followed, which suppressed evidence and silenced witnesses, allowing the "accident" narrative to persist for decades despite overwhelming contradictions.
The USS Liberty was no ordinary naval vessel. Originally a World War II-era cargo ship converted into a state-of-the-art signals intelligence (SIGINT) vessel, it was equipped with advanced antennas, including a massive 32 foot moon-bounce dish for intercepting communications. Operated under the National Security Agency (NSA), its primary role was electronic surveillance, gathering data on military movements and transmissions. In late May 1967, as tensions escalated in the Middle East, the NSA redirected the Liberty from its station off West Africa to the eastern Mediterranean. Its mission: to monitor the unfolding conflict, particularly Israeli and Egyptian activities, providing real-time intelligence to U.S. policymakers. Reports indicate the ship was positioned to eavesdrop on Israeli communications, potentially capturing details of military operations that could influence U.S. diplomatic decisions. This surveillance capability made the Liberty a potential liability if it overheard sensitive Israeli plans, such as the invasion of Syrian territory against U.S. advisories.
The attack was sustained for over an hour, far exceeding what could be dismissed as a brief error in identification. It began around 2:00 p.m. local time when unmarked Israeli jets swooped in, strafing the deck with machine guns, rockets, and napalm. The initial strikes targeted the ship's communication antennas, severing its ability to send distress signals, while simultaneously jamming U.S.-specific radio frequencies to prevent calls for help. Survivors recounted the horror of burning napalm and the relentless gunfire that perforated the hull with over 800 holes, some as large as a fist. A 39-foot torpedo gash below the waterline nearly sank the vessel. Following the aerial assault, three Israeli torpedo boats arrived, machine-gunning life rafts to ensure no survivors could escape. Helicopters carrying armed commandos hovered nearby, seemingly prepared to board and finish the job. Only after the Liberty's crew jury-rigged a makeshift antenna and broadcast an SOS, received by the nearby U.S. Sixth Fleet, did the attackers withdraw. Rescue aircraft were launched from the carriers USS America and USS Saratoga but were recalled by the Sixth Fleet commander. Surface ships reached the USS Liberty the following morning to provide aid.
The official Israeli explanation, that the Liberty was mistaken for the Egyptian horse transport El Quseir, crumbles under scrutiny. Multiple lines of evidence, drawn from survivor testimonies, declassified documents, and expert analyses, demonstrate the attack was no accident but a deliberate act. First, the Liberty's distinctive silhouette made misidentification implausible. As America's premier surveillance ship, it featured a unique array of antennas, setting it apart from any Egyptian vessel. The El Quseir, by contrast, was a rusted, much smaller craft docked in Alexandria, with no comparable features. The Liberty was painted light gray with Latin lettering on the hull, unlike Egyptian vessels that used Arabic script. Clear weather and excellent visibility that day further undermine claims of confusion.
A key indicator of intent was the American flag prominently displayed throughout the ordeal. The Liberty flew a large U.S. ensign from the start, visible from miles away. When the first flag was shot down early in the attack, sailors braved enemy fire to hoist an even larger 13-foot replacement, ensuring it remained aloft. Declassified NSA intercepts from Israeli pilots and boat commanders explicitly reference spotting the American flag, contradicting decades of Israeli denials that no such identifier was seen. These transcripts, released years later, confirm the attackers knew they were targeting a U.S. ship.
The electronic jamming provides damning proof of premeditation. From the outset, the attackers jammed the ships communications, a sophisticated move that likely required prior knowledge of the ship's identity. This wasn't random interference but a targeted effort to isolate the Liberty, preventing it from alerting allies. Israeli claims that the ship was speeding at 30 knots, like a warship, were false. Records show it maintained a speed of 15 knots.
The attack's scale and tactics indicate intent to destroy without survivors. Waves of jets, torpedo boats, and commandos coordinated to cripple communications, then eliminate escape options by shooting life rafts. No Egyptian ship would warrant such overkill, especially one already "identified" as non-threatening.
Whistleblower revelations from high-ranking U.S. officials bolster the case. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, CIA Director Richard Helms, and Admiral Thomas Moorer all publicly rejected the accident narrative, stating the attack was deliberate based on intelligence reviews. Moorer, in a 2003 commission report that included retired generals, ambassadors, and intelligence officials, cited evidence of Israeli war crimes in Gaza that the Liberty might have intercepted, suggesting a motive to silence the ship. The commission's findings were entered into the Congressional Record in 2004, concluding the assault was intentional and that rescue efforts were recalled mid-attack.
NSA officials were equally convinced, with declassified documents showing the agency believed the strike was intentional. Former NSA directors like Lieutenant General William Odom and deputy directors like Oliver Kirby echoed this, citing classified intercepts they reviewed that demonstrated clear knowledge of the ship's identity. In 2004, Captain Ward Boston, the Navy lawyer for the 1967 Court of Inquiry, released a sworn affidavit stating that he and Admiral Isaac Kidd were ordered by President Lyndon Johnson and Defense Secretary Robert McNamara to conclude the attack was accidental, despite privately agreeing it was deliberate. Boston revealed that portions of survivor testimonies were altered in the official record to support the cover-up. Furthermore, a 2007 Chicago Tribune investigation by John Crewdson published internal Israeli radio transcripts from the day, showing pilots and officers identifying the Liberty as American yet continuing the assault. Crewdson also interviewed NSA linguists who noted missing sections from government archives, implying deliberate erasure of evidence.
Books by survivors and journalists provide further substantiation. James Ennes Jr.'s 1979 "Assault on the Liberty" detailed the events from a crew perspective, demolishing Israeli claims. James Bamford's 1982 "The Puzzle Palace" revealed NSA evidence of intent, while Stephen Green's 1984 "Taking Sides" used declassified files to argue the attack aimed to provoke U.S. intervention against Egypt by blaming them for the sinking.
The U.S. response reeks of cover-up. President Lyndon Johnson's administration rushed a naval inquiry that endorsed Israel's story despite contradictory evidence, then threatened survivors with court-martial if they spoke out. Sailors were dispersed across the fleet to prevent discussions, and media coverage was stifled. Motivations for the attack remain debated, but theories include preventing the Liberty from exposing Israeli plans to seize the Golan Heights or committing atrocities in Gaza, or even a false-flag operation to draw America into the war against Egypt. British journalist Peter Hounam's research, detailed in his book "Operation Cyanide," suggests elements in Washington and Tel Aviv may have considered using the incident as a pretext for broader U.S. involvement, though this remains controversial.
Decades later, survivors through the USS Liberty Veterans Association continue demanding a full congressional investigation, arguing the "accident" label dishonors the victims. The attack on the USS Liberty was no fog-of-war mishap, it was a calculated betrayal. Enduring "friendly fire" conspiracy only compounds the tragedy.
