It was a warm, clear mild summer day, exactly fifty-two years
ago on, June 6, the sky was blue and the waters calm as the USS Liberty performed its responsibility
on a reconnaissance cruise in the international waters of the Mediterranean.
Captain McGonegle had every reason to relax and feel safe. A very large U.S.
flag waved in the wind and we were not at war. Overhead jets of our long time
friend and ally insured our protection.
Then suddenly, without warning, these friendly jets turned
on the Liberty firing bullets and
dropping bombs. Torpedo boats fired
rockets blowing a forty-foot hole into its side at the water line. When the captain
ordered abandon ship, our so-called ally strafed our sailors in their life
boats. Everything possible was done to sink the Liberty. When the attack was finally over, 34 US servicemen had
been killed and 171 injured. Why the sudden attack?
To stop messages from reaching the
world that Israel was preparing to invade Syria and occupy the Golan Heights. .
The enemy that day was not Russia, North Korea or Chine. Our enemy was long
time friend, Israel.
I know it’s hard for most Americans to think that Israel
would deliberately attack an American ship, but it is impossible to deny that
that is exactly what happened.
Thomas Are
June 8, 2019
