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0200Z 15
June 1967 transmitted message text from
Commander, Task Force One Zero Zero to
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe
O 150200Z JUN 67
FM CTF ONE ZERO ZERO
TO CINCUSNAVEUR
INFO AMEMB MALTA
COMSIXTHFLT
COMSERVFORSIXTHFLT
USCINCEUR
COMFAIRMED
CNO
ASD (PA)
CINCLANTFLT
COMSERVLANT
COMSERVRON EIGHT
USS LIBERTY
BT
N A T O C O N F I D E N T I A L
USS LIBERTY DRYDOCKING AT MALTA SITREP FOUR
1. SHIP ENTERED DRYDOCK AT 1400A. AT 1530 CANVAS MAT IN PLACE AND
COMMENCED PUMPING OUT. DRYDOCK DRY AT 1915. SEVERAL DELAYS.
BUT NO MAJOR DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED. MODERATE AMOUNT OF
FLOATING MATERIAL. SOME OF WHICH WAS CLASSIFIED. WAS RECOVERED IN
DOCK BY US NAVY SWIMMERS AND RAFT WATCH.
2. TORPEDO DAMAGE AS FOLLOWS:
A. SHELL DAMAGE HOLE CENTERED AT FR 68 AND EXTENDING 24 FT
DOWNWARD FROM JUST BELOW SECOND DECK AND LONGITUDINALLY FROM FRAME
53 TO FRAME 66 (39 FEET). HOLE TEARDROP, LARGER..............
B. INTERIOR STRUCTURE DAMAGE: FORWARD 15 FEET OF FIRST PLATFORM,
AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE BADLY DAMAGED. LESSER DAMAGE TO SECOND
PLATFORM DECK (TANK TOP). SECOND DECK AND FRAMES BUCKLED FROM
FRAME 59 FRAME 62 AND EXTENDING INBOARD 15 FEET.
C. MAJOR DAMAGE TO ALL INTERIOR JOINTER BULKHEADS BELOW SECOND
DECK, FRAME 52 TO 78 ENTIRE WIDTH OF SHIP.
D. KEEL STRAIGHT AND APPARENTLY NOT DAMAGED.
3. MISSING MEN. SEARCH AND REMOVAL OF BODIES COMMENCED AT 1830.
SEARCH EXTREMELY DIFFICULT DUE TO MASSES OF DEBRIS THROUGHOUT
FLOODED AREAS. AS OF 2200 TWELVE BODIES ACCOUNTED FOR AND ENCASED
AND WILL BE DELIVERED TO NAPLES TONIGHT FOR FINAL IDENTIFICATION
AND PREPARATION. SEARCH CONTINUES FOR REMAINING THIRTEEN BODIES.
BEST ESTIMATE FOR FINAL ACCOUNTING AND AIR SHIPMENT TO NAPLES IS
0800 15 JUNE.
4. PUBLIC RELATIONS.
A. STILL AND MOPIX OF LIBERTY ENTERING PORT, PREPARATIONS FOR
DRYDOCKING, TOPSIDE EXTERNAL DAMAGE, AND COMMANDING OFFICER POINTING
OUT DAMAGE ON BRIDGE AND IN STATEROOMS HAS BEEN FORWARDED ........
BY COURIER. DELIVERY EXPECTED APPROX MIDNIGHT (LOCAL) WED.
B. ONE ROLL 35 MM BLACK AND WHITE CONTAINING ABOUT SIX STILLS OF
COMMANDING OFFICER AS ABOVE WAS DELIVERED UNDEVELOPED TO ASSOCIATED
PRESS MALTA AT 141400B FOR POOL TO ALL.
C. NBC AND CBS HAVE SHIPPED OWN EXTERNAL DISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY TO
LONDON FOR SATELLITE TRANSMISSION. TF PAO DID SHORT INTERVIEW AT
REQUEST OF CBS.
D. PAO PROVIDING EMBASSY FREQUENT PROGRESS REPORTS FOR USE IN
ANSWERING LOCAL INQUIRIES. CHIEF QUESTIONS, HOWEVER, "ARE: WHEN CAN
WE INTERVIEW CAPTAIN: WHEN CAN WE VISIT SHIP: AND HOW MANY BODIES ARE
ABOARD", NONE OF WHICH CAN BE ANSWERED AT THIS TIME.
E. EXISTENCE OF TF 100 HAS NOT ATTRACTED PUBLIC NOTICE.
DO NOT RPT NOT INTEND TO MENTION PRESENCE OF RADM RENKEN UNLESS
DIRECTLY QUESTIONED.
F. AS WRAP-UP, PRESENTLY INTEND TOMORROW MORNING INVITE NEWSMEN
INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHERS, FOR RIGIDLY CONTROLLED TOUR
ON LOWER DECKS, GEAR POINT OF [ garbled ], FROM WHICH ALL CLASSIFIED
EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED.
PLAN TO PERMIT PHOTOGRAPHS OF EXTERIOR DAMAGE AND INTERIOR
SHOWING AT THIS TIME. BUT EXTERIORS HOLE IN HULL WOULD
BE COVERED BY CANVAS. COMMANDING OFFICER WOULD MEET
NEWMEN AND BE PHOTOGRAPHED, BUT ASIDE FROM PAYING TRIBUTE TO
CREW HE WOULD MAKE NO RPT NO COMMENTS ON INCIDENT AND WOULD
NOT RPT NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING IT. BELIEVE THAT
IF NEWSMEN KNOW CAPTAIN WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNAVAILABLE
FOR SOME TIME, THIS TOUR WILL CLOSE OUT STORY HERE AND OUT OF
TOWN NEWSMEN WILL DEPART.
5. BY WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT EXPECT TO CLEAR THE DAMAGED AREA
OF ALL REMAINS AND CLASSIFIED EQUIPMENT BY 151100A.
6. IN SUMMARY, THE USS LIBERTY PERFORMED EFFICIENTLY, COMMANDING
OFFICER TO SEAMAN, FROM ARRIVAL IN EASTERN MED OPERATING AREA,
THROUGH THE ATTACK AND SAFELY DRYDOCK TODAY. WITHOUT SUCH
PERFORMANCE THE SHIP MIGHT EASILY HAVE BEEN LOST IN RELATIVELY
SHALLOW WATER.
7. ANTICIPATE NEXT AND FINAL SITREP BY 151200Z. UNODIR PLAN
DISSOLVE TF 100 AND DEPART 151300A IN P3A AIRCRAFT WITH CAPTAIN
SMITH, CDR PLATZEK, LCDR BOYD, LT LEVESQUE, CWO WICKHAM, LT LEE,
AND LT EDMISTER. THE FOLLOWING WILL STAY WITH SHIP FOR PURPOSE
INDICATED: CAPT ARTHUR ABOUT 3 WEEKS TO SUPERVISE MALLA RAND CNSH
PLACERS AND DESIGNERS WHO ARRIVED TODAY.
CAPT HORNE SEVERAL DAYS FOR ADMIN.
CAPT CASTILLO ONE TO TWO DAYS TO WIND UP PA.
CDR KAUEER AND LCDR UNDERHILL FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOR SUPPLY MATTERS.
COMDESRON 12 UNTIL 29 JUNE FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
GP-4 (FOR US ADDEES ONLY)
BT
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