1615Z 15 June 1967 transmitted message text from
U.S. Defense Attache Office, Tel Aviv to
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe

1. (C) ALUSNA CALLED TO ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCE FOREIGN LIAISON
OFFICE (IDF/FLO) AT APPROX 081400Z. MET THERE BY LT COL MICHAEL
BLOCH, ASSISTANT IDF SPOKESMAN WHO SAID ISRAEL AIRCRAFT AND MTB'S
HAD ERRONEOUSLY ATTACKED AN UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SHIP AT 081200Z
POSIT 3125N 3333E. SAID MAYBE SHIP WAS U.S. NAVY. SAID HELI-
COPTERS IN RESCUE OPERATIONS. HAD NO OTHER INFO. MADE APOLOGIES
AND REQUESTED INFO ON OTHER U.S. SHIPS NEAR WAR ZONE COASTS.
USDAO SENT FLASH MESSAGE, REF B.
2. (C) ALUSNA REPORTED INCIDENT TO U.S. AMBASSADOR WHO HAD JUST
RECEIVED REPORT FROM ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY (FONMIN).
AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED ALUSNA COULD BE FLOWN TO SITE OF INCIDENT TO
ATTEMPT IDENTIFY SHIP AND REQUESTED HELO FLIGHT FROM DIRECTOR OF
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ISRAEL FONMIN.
3. (C) AT APPROX 081530Z DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF U.S. DEPT ISRAEL
FONMIN CALLED ALUSNA AND SAID IDF HELOS HAD PUT U.S. SURVIVORS
ABOARD ISRAELI NAVY SHIPS AND THAT ALUSNA COULD BE FLOWN TO MEET
THEIR ARRIVAL IN PORT. BEFORE DEPUTY DIRECTOR COMPLETED HIS
STATEMENT LT COL BLOCH CAME ON SAME PHONE AND SAID THE REPORT OF
PICKING UP SURVIVORS WAS COMPLETELY INACCURATE AND THAT NO SUCH
ACTION HAD TAKEN PLACE. BLOCH THEN SAID THE ATTACKED SHIP HAD
BEEN IDENTIFIED AS USS LIBERTY AND THAT FLO WAS ARRANGING HELO
FLIGHT FOR ALUSNA TO FLY TO SHIP AND COMMUNICATE WITH ELECTRIC
MEGAPHONE WITH C.O. OF LIBERTY. USDAO SENT FLASH MESSAGE, REF C.
4. (U) AT APPROX 081540Z, FLO CALLED ALUSNA AND SAID TO PROCEED
TO FLO TO PICK UP ESCORT FOR HELO FLIGHT. ASTALUSNA ACCOMPANIED
ALUSNA.
5. (C) AT 081610Z (TIME RECORDED BY ASTALUSNA), HELO WAS AIRBORNE
FROM DOV HOSS AIRFIELD ON NORTHERN EDGE OF TEL AVIV. HELO
PROCEEDED ON DIRECT INTERCEPT TO SHIP. AT 081625Z, HELO PASSED
OVER THREE IDF MTB RUNNING NORTH. AT 081635Z, HELO WAS OVER USS
LIBERTY BUT HAD NEITHER ELECTRIC MEGAPHONE OR HAND HELD SIGNAL
LIGHT. ALUSNA HAD PLANNED TO BE LOWERED ABOARD LIBERTY FOR BRIEF
CONFERENCE WITH C.O. ALUSNA IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES AND NOT ABLE TO
CONVEY HIS IDENTITY TO BRIDGE OF LIBERTY. LIBERTY MADE
PREPARATIONS TO RECEIVE ALUSNA ABOARD ON FORECASTLE. SPEED OF
SHIP (WHICH IT IS ASSUMED COULD NOT BE REDUCED FOR DAMAGE CONTROL
REASONS) CAUSED HELO PILOT TO SAY HE COULD NOT MAKE TRANSFER.
SHIP THEN WAVED OFF TRANSFER ATTEMPT. ALUSNA WROTE NOTE INQUIRING
AS TO CASUALTIES ON CALLING CARD AND DROPPED IT ABOARD LIBERTY IN
IMPROMPTU PACKAGE. ALUSNA UNDERSTOOD SHIP TO SIGNAL AFFIRMATIVE
CASUALTIES AND THOUGHT THE NUMBER SENT WAS FOUR OR FORTY BUT IS
UNCERTAIN OF TRANSMISSION FROM HAND HELD LIGHT. HELO HAD TO
DEPART BECAUSE OF FALL OF DARKNESS. OFFICER ON BRIDGE GAVE A
THUMBS UP SIGN. ENTIRE HELO TRIP WAS FRUSTRATION AND ESSENTIALLY
NON-PRODUCTIVE EXCEPT ALUSNA WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE LIBERTY UNDERWAY
ON OWN POWER AND TO NOTE LIST AND SOME TOPSIDE DAMAGE. HELO
DEPARTED LIBERTY AT 081700Z AND TOUCHED DOWN TEL AVIV 081725Z.
6. (C) WHILE ALUSNA ON FLIGHT, DATT RECEIVED TELEPHONE REPORT
FROM IDF ARMY SPOKESMAN OF IDF PRESS NOTICE ON INCIDENT WHICH
WAS FOR RELEASE AT 081930Z. INTERIM COL TAYLOR OF DIA HELD PHONE
CONV DATT. DATT UNDERSTOOD FROM PHONECON THAT LIBERTY NOT
SEEKING IDF ASSISTANCE AND THAT SHIP HAD SATISFACTORY RADIO COMM
WITH U.S. NAVY. INFO THIS PARA AND OTHER AMPLIFYING REMARKS
CONTAINED IN USDAO IMMEDIATE MSG REF D.
7. (C) ON RETURN EMBASSY, ALUSNA INFORMED THAT GENL GETTY OF
NMCC REQUESTED PHONE REPORT WHICH WAS MADE AT APPROX. 082100Z.
SUBSTANCE OF PHONE CON SAME AS PARA 5 ABOVE.
8. (C) AT APPROX 091200Z, ARMA RECEIVED PHONE CALL FROM
GENL CASSIBRY OF NMCC ASKING USDAO TEL AVIV TO DETERMINE IF
IDF PLANES OR SHIPS HAD SIGHTED ANY BODIES OR PICKED UP ANY
SURVIVORS. GEN SAID 22 MEN WERE MISSING BUT WERE POSSIBLY
ALL IN HOLD OF LIBERTY. GENL REQUESTED PHONE REPLY IF ANSWER
AFFIRMATIVE. ALUSNA PASSED ENQUIRY TO FLO.
9. (S) AT 091300Z, LT COL BLOCH CALLED ALUSNA. ALUSNA WAS
EXPECTING REPLY TO INQUIRY ON MISSING MEN. INSTEAD BLOCH READ OFF
LIST OF SEVEN POINTS OF FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING LIBERTY
INCIDENT THESE WERE:
A. SHIP WAS SIGHTED AND RECOGNIZED AS A NAVAL SHIP 13 MILES
FROM COAST.
B. PRESENCE IN A FIGHTING AREA IS AGAINST INTERNATIONAL CUSTOM.
C. THE AREA IS NOT A COMMON PASSAGE FOR SHIPS.
D. EGYPT HAD DECLARED THE AREA CLOSED TO NEUTRALS.
E. LIBERTY RESEMBLES THE EGYPTIAN SUPPLY SHIP EL QUSEIR.
F. SHIP WAS NOT FLYING FLAG WHEN SIGHTED. SHE MOVED AT QUOTE
HIGH SPEED UNQUOTE WESTWARD TOWARD ENEMY COAST.
G. IDF NAVY HAD EARLIER REPORTS OF BOMBARDMENT OF EL-ARISH FROM
SEA.
ALUSNA PRESSED BLOCH FOR A LABEL FOR THE STATEMENT ASKING IF

FINAL SECTION OF TWO

THIS WERE AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION OF THE INCIDENT. LCOL BLOCH
COULD NOT SUPPLY A PREAMBLE ON HIS OWN AND ALUSNA REQUESTED HE
CONSULT WITH SOME AUTHORITY WHO COULD. BLOCH CALLED BACK AND
GAVE ABOVE NON-COMMITTAL HEADING. USDAO SENT IMMEDIATE MSG REF E
DESCRIBING ABOVE EXCHANGE AND COMMENTING ON UNLIKELIHOOD OF
PROFESSIONAL NAVAL OFFICERS CONFUSING LIBERTY AND EL QUSEIR
AND EVALUATING NAVY'S ERRONEOUS ATTACK AS RESULT OF EAGERNESS
OF IDF NAVY TO GLEAN SOME PORTION OF GREAT VICTORY BEING WON
BY IDF ARMY AND AIR FORCE.
10. (C) AT APPROX 091400Z, ALUSNA RECEIVED PHONE CALL FROM
RADM MOORE AT NMCC REGARDING TYPE AND EXTENT OF SEARCHES FOR
SURVIVORS MADE BY IDF NAVY. RADM MOORE PUT SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
BUT PHONE CONNECTION VERY POOR. ALUSNA STATED HE UNDERSTOOD
TENOR OF QUESTIONS AND WOULD ACT ON THAT BUT REQUESTED MSG
BACKUP WITH DETAILED QUESTIONS. ON QUERY ALUSNA TOLD RADM MOORE
THAT IN VIEW GENERAL RECENT NON-COOPERATION OF FLO REGARDING
USDAO REQUESTS FOR INFO ON HOSTILITIES, SLOWNESS OF REPLY TO
QUERY REGARDING POSSIBLE SURVIVORS, AND THE JUST RECEIVED QUOTE
SEVEN POINTS UNQUOTE THAT U.S. REQUESTS FOR ISRAELI SEARCH ACTION
WOULD PROBABLY GET BETTER RESPONSES AT LEVEL HIGHER THAN USDAO
TO FLO. REQUESTS FOR INFO AND RENEWED SEARCH WERE PASSED TO
FLO IMMEDIATELY.
11. (S) AT 091630Z, LCOL BLOCH TELEPHONE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS
TO ALUSNA:
A. FOLLOWING ATTACK, 3 ISRAELI MTB'S OFFERED HELP TO LIBERTY
BUT WERE REFUSED.
B. MTB'S CONTINUED SEARCH IN ATTACK AREA UNTIL 081504Z WITH
NEGATIVE RESULTS EXCEPT FOR RECOVERY OF RUBBER LIFE BOATS AND
OTHER EQUIPMENT.
C. MTB PERSONNEL STATE THEY SAW NO ONE JUMP INTO THE SEA OR
IN SEA.
D. IDF HELICOPTERS WERE OVER LIBERTY 081305Z TO 08131-Z AND
WERE WAVED OFF. HELOS CONDUCTED SEARCH UNTIL 081504Z.
E. LCOL BLOCH HAD INTERVIEWED ALL PILOTS OF ATTACKING
AIRCRAFT EXCEPT ONE. ALL STATED THEY HAD SEEN NO ONE IN OR
ENTERED WATER.
F. IDF HAD INSTITUTED LIGHT PLANE SEARCH UPON RECEIPT OF
QUESTIONS REGARDING SEARCHES AND WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL DARK-
NESS 9 JUNE.
G. IDF NAVY ESTIMATED STANDARD WIND AND CURRENT CONDITIONS
WOULD CARRY SURVIVORS OR DEBRIS TO POINT ON GAZA STRIP
COAST OPPOSITE CITY OF RAFAH.
H. IDF AGREED TO CONDUCT SEARCH ATTACK AREA AND WATERS TO
GAZA COAST LINE BEGINNING FIRST LIGHT 10 JUNE.
I. AS ABOVE BEING DRAFTED AS USDAO FLASH MSG, REF F, LTCOL
BLOCH TELEPHONED INFO THAT LAST PILOT HAD BEEN INTERVIEWED.
THAT PILOT THOUGHT HE SAW SIX TO TEN YELLOW BOATS WITH
PEOPLE IN WAKE OF LIBERTY. BLOCH DISCREDITED THIS REPORT.
12. (S) AT 100730Z, LTCOL BLOCH REPORTED AIR SEARCH WITH
NEGATIVE RESULTS BEGAN AT 100300Z AND THAT SURFACE SEARCH WOULD
BEGIN IN AFTERNOON. ALUSNA RECOMMENDED TO US AUTHORITIES THAT IF
NO RESULTS DEVELOPED BY NIGHTFALL, TERMINATION OF SEARCH BE
AUTHORIZED. INFO THIS PARA SENT AS USDAO FLASH MSG, REF G.
13. (S/NFD) AT APPROX 100930Z, USDAO SOURCE REPORTED SECONDARY
SOURCE GAVE INFO GATHERED BY OVERHEARING IDF AF AIR-TO-GROUND
CONTROL FREQUENCIES. INFO SUGGESTED THAT IDF AIRCRAFT MADE
TWO OR THREE IDENTIFICATION PASSES OVER A SHIP SOMETIME PRIOR
TO ATTACK ON LIBERTY. AIRCRAFT REPORTED SHIP HAD U.S. FLAG
BUT NO PERSONNEL ON DECK. INFO THIS PARA FORWARDED TO
LIMITED ADDRESSEES INCLUDING CNO AND DIA IN USDAO 0854 JUN 67 [101000Z].
14. (S) AT APPROX 101915Z, IDF SPOKESMAN REPORTED NEGATIVE
RESULTS FROM DAY LONG AIR AND SURFACE SEARCH BUT SAID IDF
NAVY STILL OPERATING IN AREA AND WOULD CONTINUE ALERT WATCH
FOR SURVIVORS. THIS INFO SENT IN USDAO TEL AVIV IMMED MSG.
15. (S/NFD) ON QUERY FROM DIA, USDAO TEL AVIV IMMED MSG,
REF I, REPORTED INABILITY TO RECHECK STORY OF SECONDARY
SOURCE CITED PARA 13 ABOVE. HOWEVER USDAO WAS ABLE PROVIDE
IN REF I INFO ON MTB ATTACK RECEIVED BY EMBASSY OFFICER FROM IDF
NAVAL OFFICER WHO SAID HE WAS ABOARD MTB. SAID
MTB'S LAUNCHED TORPEDOES AT LIBERTY WHEN THEY SAW HER UNDER
ATTACK BY AIRCRAFT. MTB CREW SAW U.S. FLAG AFTER TORPEDO LAUNCH.
SAID FLAG HAD BEEN OBSCURED BY SMOKE. IN SAME REF ALUSNA
OFFERED PROBABLY BUT NOT CERTAIN SERIES OF EVENTS AS FOLLOWS:
A. IDF AIRCRAFT REPORTED AND IDENTIFIED LIBERTY AS U.S.
B. IDF AF HQ MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BROADCAST INFO TO ALL
UNITS BUT PROBABLY UNINFORMED AIRCRAFT RETURNING FROM STRIKE
IN EGYPT HAD ATTACKED LIBERTY.
C. MTB'S SAW AIRCRAFT ATTACKING LIBERTY AND PRESUMED HER TO
BE EGYPTIAN SHIP. THEY EAGERLY RACED INTO ACTION WITHOUT
WAITING TO IDENTIFY OUR SHIP.
16. (S) AT APPROX 131200Z WHEN ALUSNA VISITED FLO ON OTHER
BUSINESS, LTCOL BLOCH OPENED CONVERSATION BY SAYING HE WAS
HEARING MALICIOUS UNTRUE STORIES ABOUT INCIDENT FROM U.S.
(PRESUMABLY NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE ITEM). ALUSNA SAID

[below garbled in text following word "SAID"]

ATED IN QUOTE MALIC OU
NTRUE UNQUOTE STORIES AND

REMINDED BLOCH THAT SOME MONTHS EARLIER WHEN USN AIRCRAFT
HAD ACCIDENTALLY PENETRATED THE ISRAELI AIR CONTROL ZONES, THE
IDF AF CHIEF OF INTELLIGENCE HAD ARROGANTLY ALTHOUGH
FACETIOUSLY SUGGESTED THAT NEXT TIME HE MIGHT HAVE TO ATTACK
THE PLANES OR SHIP. BLOCH SAID THAT THAT OFFICER TALKS QUOTE
A LOT OF NONSENSE UNQUOTE AND THAT HE HOPED ALUSNA DIDN'T
THINK OTHER IDF OFFICERS WERE LIKE THAT. ALUSNA REPLIED HE JUST
WANTED IT TO BE CLEAR THAT HE WANTED TO HEAR NOTHING BUT
OFFICIAL COMMENTS ON THE SUBJECT OF THE LIBERTY INCIDENT.
17. (S) AT [131255]Z, LTCOL BLOCH CALLED ALUSNA TO REPORT IDF
COFS GENL RABIN HAD APPOINTED AN OFFICIAL COURT OF INQUIRY
IN THE INCIDENT INVOLVING USS LIBERTY. THIS INFO SENT AS USDAO
IMMEDIATE MSG, REF J.
18. (C) ON 14 JUNE, ALUSNA WAS ASKED TO MEET IDF NAVY COMMANDER
IN CHIEF, COMMODORE ERELL, AT FLO IN EARLY EVENING. COMMODORE
ERELL PRESENTED APOLOGIES TO U.S. NAVY ON BEHALF OF IDF NAVY.
ERELL STATED HE DID NOT WANT TO COMMENT ON ELEMENTS OF THE
MISTAKE UNTIL AFTER COURT OF INQUIRY REACHED ITS FINDINGS.
ON QUERY ERELL SAID HE PRESUMED FINDINGS WOULD BE TRANSMITTED
TO USG. THIS INFO AND AMPLIFYING DETAILS SENT IN USDAO
PRIORITY MSG, REF K.
19. COMMENT: A. ABOVE DOES NOT INCLUDE EXCHANGE BETWEEN
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT AND GOI OF WHICH U.S. MILITARY ATTACHES
HERE WERE AWARE BUT IN WHICH THEY TOOK NO PART.
B. DESPITE THE LENGTH AND DETAIL OF ABOVE IT IS RECOGNIZED
THAT IT DOES NOT ADD SIGNIFICANTLY TO REFERENCED MESSAGE
REPORTS. FROM INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO USDAO TEL AVIV IT
CAN BE PRESUMED THAT ONLY THE IDF KNOWS WITH CERTAINTY THE
EXACT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT LED TO THE TRAGIC INCIDENT.
C. COORDINATED WITH EMBASSY. GP-3.
BT

Message subject lineage: 171947Z JUN 67 CINCUSNAVEUR

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