USS Liberty

The USS Liberty (AGTR-5) was much larger than the USS Pueblo and represents a bloody smear cast upon the United States' relations with Israel. An intelligence collection ship in international waters, the Liberty was attacked by Israeli aircraft and warships while operating off the Sinai Peninsula on 8 June, 1967, during the Arab-Israeli Six Day War. The attacks killed 34 and wounded 171 men out of a crew of 297, "the worst loss of American naval personnel from hostile action since World War II."

Relevant web sites: USN History site, an article by Eric Margolis, another by John Bourne, one by James Ennes, Jr., a Court of Inquiry site, a Memorial site, and anothers by the Jewish Virtual Library by Mitchell Bard and Michael Oren.

Showing American testicluar fortitude, Liberty declined later Isreali offers of assistance after the "mistake" had been identified and limped to Malta for repairs.

The incident was hushed up by the Johnson Administration, and the commander of Liberty, Commander McGonagle, was quietly awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, and his ship awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for her heroic actions during the incident.

The Israeli government maintains that they had mistaken Liberty for an Egyptian horse-carrier, El Quseir, one-fourth of Liberty's size, a dubious claim, but the heroism of Liberty's Silent Warriors remains undisputed.