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1200Z 19
June 1967 transmitted message text from
U.S. Defense Attache Office, Tel Aviv to
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and
Defense Intelligence Agency
P 191200Z JUN 67
FM USDAO TEL AVIV ISRAEL
TO CINCUSNAVEUR
DIA
INFO COMSIXTHFLT
BT
S E C R E T NOFORN 0933 JUN 67.
USS LIBERTY INCIDENT, REF USDAO TEL AVIV SECRET NO FORN 0884 JUN 67.
[130835Z JUN 67]
1. U.S. EMBASSY OFFICER HAS HAD FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH YOUR
ISRAELI MTB OFFICER (SEE PARA 3 OF REF) AND REPORTS FOLLOWING
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BY THAT OFFICER:
A. MTB'S WERE OFF GAZA ON THE AFTERNOON (SIC) OF THE ATTACK
ON
LIBERTY WHEN THEY RECEIVED A REPORT OR RUMOR THAT AN EGYPTIAN SHIP
WAS SHELLING EL ARISH FROM THE SEA. THE MTB'S PUT TO SEA AND [sic]
CLOSED THE UNIDENTIFIED VESSEL. THEY SAW PLANES ATTACKING AND
CLOSED ON THE SHIP FROM ABOUT 10 MILES OUT. WHEN THEY WERE AT
A POINT WHERE THEY COULD MAKE OUT THE SHAPE OF THE SHIP THEY
CHECKED THEIR QUOTE GREEN BOOK UNQUOTE AND IDENTIFIED LIBERTY AS
EL QUSEIR.
B. THE SOURCE OFFICER SAID HE WAS COMM OFFICER ON HIS MTB AND
WORKED THE SIGNAL LIGHT HIMSELF. HE SENT THE INTERNATIONAL
REQUEST FOR IDENTIFICATION TO LIBERTY, A - A AND LIBERTY RESPONDED
WITH A - A. THE C.O. OF MTB THOUGHT THIS WAS AN EVASION AND HAVING
SEEN PLANES ATTACK LIBERTY THE MTB'S ORDERED A TORPEDO ATTACK.
C. ABOUT SIX TORPEDOES WERE FIRED FROM THE THREE MTB'S BUT ONLY
ONE
RAN TRUE. THE OTHERS WERE DUDS QUOTE LOUSY ITALIAN TORPEDOES [sic]
UNQUOTE.
D. AFTER FIRING TORPEDOES [sic] THE MTB'S HAD CLOSED IN AND
RAKED THE
LIBERTY WITH MACHINE [sic] GUNS.
E. THERE HAS BEEN AN IDF INVESTIGATION OF SOME SORT AND THE
CO
OF THE MTB IS VERY DISTRAUGHT.
F. THE IDF NAVY HAD BEEN RIBBED BY THE IDF AF FOR NAVY'S
INEFFECTIVENESS.
COMMENT: THE SOURCE ISRAELI OFFICER IS A RESERVIST ABOUT 33 YEARS
OLD WHO WAS RECALLED TO SERVICE DURING THE MOBILIZATION PRIOR TO
HOSTILITIES.
GP-3
BT
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