1729Z 23 May 1967 drafted message text from
Director, National Security Agency to
Joint Chiefs of Staff: Joint Reconnaissance Center

FROM: DIRNSA          23 MAY 1967 [DTG 231729Z MAY 67]

TO:   JCS/JRC

INFO: CNO              DIRNAVSECGRU
      CINCLANT         DISNAVSECGRULANT
      CINCLANTFLT      NSA REP LANT
      COMSERVLANT      ASSTDIRNAVSECGRU (COURIER)
      COMSERVRON EIGHT DIRNAVSECGRUEUR
                       HQ NSAEUR

S E C R E T

ADP/224-67

SUBJ: DIVERSION OF USS LIBERTY

DUE TO PRESENT MIDDLE EAST CRISIS REQUEST USS LIBERTY BE DIRECTED

TO DEPART ABIDJAN IMMEDIATELY AND PROCEED AT BEST POSS SOA TO ROTA

SPAIN TO PICK UP TECH SUPPORT MATERIAL/PERSONNEL, THENCE PROCEED TO

OP AREA OFF PORT SAID. TASKING AND SPECIFIC AREAS WILL BE FWD ASAP

GP-1

------------------------------
CONCUR: G /S/ Mr. Raven
P04 [deleted]

M/R: THE PRESENT SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST HAS RESULTED IN NSA
DECLARING A SIGINT READINESS BRAVO IN ORDER TO AUGMENT COVERAGE
IN THE AREA, THE DIVERSION OF THE USS LIBERTY (USN-855) IS CON-
SIDERED A NECESSARY COURSE OF ACTION IN VIEW OF THE LIBERTY'S EX-
CELLENT [ deleted ] CAPABILITIES AND HER
ABILITY TO REMAIN ON STATION FOR EXTENDED PERIODS. USNS VALDEZ
WILL BE DIRECTED TO LEAVE ALL AVAILABLE ME TECH SUPPORT AT ROTA
SPAIN [deleted] WHEN SHE MAKES A SCHEDULED CALL O/A 24/25 MAY.
  THE DIVERSION OF THE LIBERTY WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS
[ deleted ] FOR THE REAMINDER [sic] OF THE PRESENTLY SCHEDULED
CRUISE DUE TO TERMINATE 25 AUG 67. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE POTEN-
TIAL IS INVOLVEMENT IN THE ME CRISIS MUST BE CONSIDERED AN ACCEPTABLE
LOSS.

DRAFTER                    RELEASED
[ DELETED ]                  OLIVER R. KIRBY/ADP/3333?

DOCUMENT REMARKS
    EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING AND DECLASSIFICATION
...

Message subject lineage: 292013Z MAY 67 DIRNSA

Message displayed as Document 46 in the Department of State Foreign Relations of the United States, Johnson Administration, 1964-1968, Volume XIX, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1967.

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