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2310Z 09 June 1967 transmitted message text from
Joint Chiefs of Staff to
U.S. Commander-in-Chief, Europe

O 092310Z JUN 67
FM JCS
TO USCINCEUR
INFO CINCUSNAVEUR
COMSIXTHFLT
BT
C O N F I D E N T I A L
JCS 7582 JCS SENDS
PERSONAL FOR BURCHINAL, MCCAIN AND MARTIN,
FROM WEELER.
REF: DEF 6610 (U) DTG 302008Z MAY 67
I QUOTE PERTINENT EXTRACTS FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS ITEM 118,
9 JUNE 67, HEADED "ABOARD THE CARRIER AMERICA", CONCERNING
ISRAELI ATTACK ON USS LIBERTY:
   "THE OFFICIAL EXPLANATION FOR THIS NONCOMBAT SHIP BEING SO
NEAR THE ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN FIGHTING WAS THAT THE LIBERTY
WAS TO HELP PROTECT AMERICAN NATIONALS AS THE POSSIBLE NEED TO
EVACUATE BECAME APPARENT.
THE LIBERTY WAS ONLY 15 MILES OFF THE SINAI COAST BUT AN OFFICER
SAID: "TO PUT IT BLUNTLY, SHE WAS IN THERE TO SPY FOR US. RUSSIA
DOES THE SAME THING. WE MOVED IN CLOSE TO MONITOR THE
COMMUNICATIONS OF BOTH EGYPT AND ISRAEL.
WE HAVE TO. WE MUST BE INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN MATTER OF
MINUTES".
   REFERENCE, WHICH WAS TRANSMITTED TO ALL COMMANDS CONCERNED,
EMPHASIZED "IMPORTANCE OF NOT REPEAT NOT COMMENTING ON ANY
ASPECT OF (MIDDLE EAST) CRISIS WITHOUT FULL COORDINATION, WITH
DOD PUBLIC AFFAIRS." REFERENCE SPECIFIED THAT "THIS MUST
DEFINITELY INCLUDES COMMENT OF US MILITARY ACTIVITY, SHIPS AND
SHIPMENTS OF ANY NATURE RELATED TO THE CRISIS".
OTHER PUBLIC AFFAIRS MESSAGES HAVE REPEATEDLY EMPHASIZED
BOTH THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY SENSITIVITY OF ALL ASPECTS OF THE
MIDDLE EAST SITUATION. EVEN WITHOUT GUIDANCE OR ORDERS, IT IS
INCONCEIVABLE TO ME THAT AN OFFICER WOULD BE SO INJUDICIOUS AS TO
MAKE A STATEMENT TO THE PRESS SUCH AS THAT QUOTED BY AP. THE
FACT THAT EXPLICIT PRESS GUIDANCE WAS ISSUED, ELEVEN DAYS PRIOR
TO THE PUBLICATION OF THIS STATEMENT, MAKES THIS SERIOUS INCIDENT
EVEN MORE INCONCEIVABLE.
   I REQUEST YOUR RESPONSE TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
A. WAS THE PRESS GUIDANCE CONTAINED IN REFERENCE RECEIVED BY YOUR
COMMANDS?
B. WAS THIS GUIDANCE PROMPTLY TRANSMITTED TO ALL
PERSONNEL CONCERNED WITH NEWS MEDIA, AS WELL AS OTHER PERSONNEL
TO WHOM NEWS MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES MIGHT HAVE ACCESS.
GP-4
BT

Message subject lineage:

100305Z JUN 67 CINCUSNAVEUR
100624Z JUN 67 CTF SIX ZERO
100627Z JUN 67 USCINCEUR
100936Z JUN 67 COMSIXTHFLT

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