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0045Z 14 June 1967 transmitted message text from
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe to
Chief of Naval Operations and
Secretary of the Navy


O 140045Z JUN 67
FM CINCUSNAVEUR
TO CNO
SECNAV
BT
S E C R E T
USS LIBERTY (U)
A. USS LIBERTY 080742Z JUN 67 PASEP
B. USS LIBERTY 081715Z JUN 67 PASEP
C. CTF SIX ZERO 092112Z JUN 67 PASEP
1. THE FOLLOWING RECAPITULATES INFO IN ANSWER TO THE QUERIES OF
SECNAV CONCERNING THE RECONNAISSANCE OF USS LIBERTY AND THE
ATTACKS THAT FOLLOWED ON 8 JUN 1967:
A. TWO DELTA WING JET FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ORBITED USS LIBERTY
THREE TIMES IN POSITION 31-27N, 34-00E AT TIME 080650Z. DETAILS
IN REF A. THIS WAS THE ONLY KNOWN RECONNAISSANCE OF THE SHIP
PRIOR TO ATTACK.
B. ISRAELI FORCES ATTACKED FIRST AT 081205Z WITH JET FIGHTERS
MAKING SIX STRAFING RUNS ON SHIP. AT 081225Z THREE TORPEDO BOATS
APPROACHED THE SHIP AT HIGH SPEED. THE SHIP TOOK THE BOATS UNDER
FIRE WITH 50 CALIBER MACHINE GUNS AT A RANGE OF 2000 YARDS. THE
TORPEDO BOATS LAUNCHED TORPEDOES AT 081227Z. DETAILS OF THESE
ACTIONS IN REF B.
C. THE MEANS OF INDICATING NATIONALITY OF USS LIBERTY WAS BY
THE NATIONAL ENSIGN AND UNIFORMS OF THE CREW. THE FLAG WAS FLYING
DURING THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. (REF C).
D. WEATHER WAS FAIR AND VISIBILITY WAS GOOD DURING THE
ENTIRE TIME FRAME OF THE RECONNAISSANCE AND SUBSEQUENT ATTACK.
E. THE SEQUENCE OF ATTACKS AND DEFENSIVE ACTIONS ARE AS IN
PARA ONE BRAVO AND REF B. FROM RECORDS HERE, IT APPEARS THAT
ISRAELI FORCES MADE THE FIRST ATTACK BY JET AIRCRAFT. FOLLOWED
BY THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE HIGH SPEED TORPEDO BOAT ATTACK.
LIBERTY COMMENCED FIRING WITH HER ONLY ARMAMENT (50 CALIBER
MACHINE GUNS) AFTER BOATS HAD APPROACHED TO 2000 YARD RANGE.
TORPEDOES WERE APPARENTLY LAUNCHED SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
GP-4
BT


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