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2005Z 11
June 1967 transmitted message text from
U.S.S. America to Chief of Naval Information
P R 112005Z JUN 67
FM USS AMERICA
TO CHINFO
INFO CTF SIX ZERO
COMSIXTHFLT
BT
C O N F I D E N T I A L
PUBLIC AFFAIRS INTERVIEW OF LIBERTY CREWMAN
A. OPNAV INST. 05727.1B
B. USCINCEUR 081650Z JUNE 1967
C. CHINFOINST 5720.25
1. ON 11 JUNE 1967 NEWS MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES EMBARKED ABOARD AMERICA
WERE PERMITTED TO INTERVIEW CTSN KENNETH ECKER B513648/USN A CREW-
MAN OF USS LIBERTY RECOVERING ABOARD AMERICA FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED
IN THE RECENT ISRAELI ATTACK AND CDR. J.J. GORDON MC USN AMERICA
MEDICAL OFFICER. THE INTERVIEW WAS REQUESTED BY NEWS MEDIA REPRESENTA-
TIVES. PRESENT AT THE INTERVIEW WERE: ROBERT GORALSKI OF NBC, HARRY
STATHOS OF UPI REPORTING UNDER THE PSEUDONYM OF JAMES STAFFORD FOR
CBS RADIO, HELMUT SORGE OF DER SPIEGEL, GENE SHERMAN OF COPLEY NEWS
SERVICE, D.C. TRENARY OF MILWAUKEE JOURNAL, BOB HORTON OF AP AND
WILLIAM GILL OF ABC. THE INTERVIEW WAS NOT FILMED BY TV MEDIA REP-
RESENTATIVES BUT WAS RECORDED IN PART BY CBS RADIO. PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OFFICER AMERICA HAS A TAPED RECORDING OF THE INTERVIEW WHICH WILL
BE FORWARDED UPON REQUEST.
2. SEAMAN ECKER WAS BRIEFED IAW REF A AND B. CLEARED BY THE MEDICAL
OFFICER WHO SIGNED A STATEMENT AGREEING TO THE INTERVIEW. AMERICA
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER MONITORED THE INTERVIEW. ECKER WAS INTRODUCED
AS A RADIOMAN ABOARD LIBERTY.
3. WHILE NOT REQUIRED THIS REPORT SUBMITTED IAW REF (C) P3-73
OF THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF THE LIBERTY INCIDENT.
4. THE INTERVIEW DEALT WHICH [with] ECKER'S EXPERIENCES DURING THE ISRAEL
ATTACK. HE WAS ASKED TO RECOUNT IN DETAIL HIS OWN ACTIONS DURING
THE ATTACK. MUCH ATTENTION HAD BEEN FOCUSED ON HIM BECAUSE OF
HIS BATTLE HELMET, WHICH HE RETAINS. THE HELMET HAS BEEN CREDITED
WITH SAVING HIS LIFE. IT HAS SEVERAL SHRAPNELL HOLES AND A PART OF
ONE ROUND REMAINING LODGED IN THE HELMET AT A POSITION NEAR THE TEMPLE.
5. NO UNEXPECTED PROBLEM AREAS WERE ENCOUNTERED IN THE INTERVIEW.
AT ONE POINT, WHEN ASKED OF THE GENERAL FEELING AMONG LIBERTY
CREWMEN AS THEY SPENT THE NIGHT IN DISTRESS, ECKER ANSWERED RATHER
PASSIONATELY QUOTE WE WANTED TO GET THEM SONS OF BITCHES WHOEVER
ATTACKED US UNQUOTE. WHEN PRESSED FOR THE FEELING AFTER IT BECAME
KNOWN THAT THE ATTACKERS WERE ISRAELIS, ECKER REPLIED AFTER QUOTE WE
STILL WANTED TO GET THEM. WE DIDN'T CARE WHETHER THEY WERE FRIENDS
OR ENEMIES. THEY HIT OUR SHIP AND WE WANTED TO MAKE THEM PAY
UNQUOTE.
GP-4
BT
Message subject lineage: 142142Z JUN 67
CHINFO
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