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1617Z 09 June 1967 transmitted message text from
Chief of Naval Information to
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and
Commander, Sixth Fleet and others

P 091617Z JUN 67
FM CHINFO
TO CINCUSNAVEUR
COMSIXTHFLT
CINCLANTFLT
CTF SIX ZERO
COMCARDIVFOUR
BT
UNCLAS E F T O
1. THE FOLLOWING IS SUMMARY OF INFORMAL BRIEFING GIVEN BY MR. PHIL
GOULDING TO PENTAGON PRESS AT 1100Z EDT.
   QUOTE: I HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE USS LIBERTY.
   THE LIBERTY RENDEVOUZED WITH THE TWO DESTROYERS, USS DAVIS
AND USS MASSEY, AT APPROX 25 MINUTES AFTER MIDNIGHT (EDT) AT THE
POSITION 33-01N LATITUDE 31-59E LONGITUDE. ABOUT 420 MILES ESE OF
SOUDA BAY, CRETE.
   MEDICAL PERSONNEL FROM THE DESTROYERS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE
LIBERTY. I BELIEVE THIS INCLUDES A PHYSICIAN AND A CORPSMAN FROM EACH
OF THE TWO DESTROYERS.
   AT 4:30 A.M. (EDT) TWO HELICOPTERS FROM THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER
AMERICA RENDEVOUZED WITH LIBERTY. THIS POSITION WAS 33-17N
LATITUDE 31-25E LONGITUDE, 385 MILES OF SOUDA BAY/ THEY BEGAN
TRANSFERRING THE MORE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED FROM LIBERTY TO AMERICA.
THE TRANSFER OF THE FIFTEEN MOST SERIOUSLY WOUNDED HAS BEEN
COMPLETED. THE LAST WORD WE HAD FROM THE SHIPS WAS THAT THEY
ANTICIPATED TRANSFERRING A TOTAL OF 35 WOUNDED AND NINE DECEASED.
   AT 5:30 A.M. THE AMERICA RENDEVOUZED WITH THE LIBERTY. THE
POSITION NOW WAS 33-46N LATITUDE AND 30-13E LONGITUDE. THIS IS ABOUT
320 MILES ESE OF SOUDA BAY.
   THE LIBERTY AND TWO DESTROYERS ARE ENROUTE NOW TO SOUDA BAY,
CRETE. THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL THERE IS 1830 EDT SATURDAY.
THE TASK GROUP IS MOVING AT TEN KNOTS. THE MOST RECENT CASUALTY
REPORT FROM LIBERTY IS AS FOLLOWS: NINE DEAD AND 22 MISSING, AND
75 WOUNDED. AT LEAST 15 OF THE 75 ARE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED.
   I DO NOT HAVE ANY FIRM INFORMATION ON THE 22 WHO ARE MISSING.
THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE LIBERTY HAS REPORTED THAT HE BELIEVES
THAT SOME OF THE MISSING ARE IN FLOODED COMPARTMENTS IN THE FORWARD
PART OF THE SHIP.
   NEXT OF KIN ARE BEING NOTIFIED AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. NAMES WILL
BE RELEASED ONCE NEXT OF KIN NOTIFICATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
END QUOTE
BT

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