| Author | Message | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject: Sailors recount attack on USS Liberty, Apolgists lie |
| Sailors recount attack on USS Liberty
By Debra Friedman
Staff Writer
Article Launched: 09/27/2008 02:30:20 AM EDT
Two former sailors who were aboard the USS Liberty when it was attacked by Israeli jets and submarines in 1967 told their stories of the event Thursday night at Greenwich Library.
Ernie Gallo and Rocky Sturman, spoke to a crowd of nearly 50 people who gathered at Cole Auditorium to hear about the day 34 members of their crew were killed and many more injured. The occurrence has been surrounded by controversy for decades, as many believe the attack was intentional and others believe it was a terrible mistake by Israeli forces who thought the ship was an enemy vessel.
Gallo, who is president of the USS Liberty Veterans Association, told the crowd he was frustrated by the way the U.S. government handled the incident. "All we want is the simple truth told by our government," said Gallo. "If they don't know the truth, they need to support a hearing."
Sturman said he believed the attack was an accident for many years, until he got hold of declassified documents. "Do your own independent research. Don't just listen to us," said Sturman, who urged the audience to write to Congress and request a public hearing on the matter.
During the two hour presentation, some members of the audience grew upset as they attempted to refute some of the information. Gean Schwartz, a resident of Stamford who said he teaches the history of Israel, was one audience member who challenged some of the information presented.
"Yes, it was a deliberate attack. But it was a war zone," said
Schwartz, who noted that he felt it was very possible that Israeli forces mistook the identity of the ship during Israel's Six Day War.
Former U.S. Air Force pilot Bob Davidson, 68, of Pawling, N.Y., said it is "absolutely inconceivable that anyone could misidentify the ship at that close range."
He said the U.S. flag and ship markings would have been clearly visible.
The event was booked by Greenwich resident John McGillion on behalf of Post Road, an organization affiliated with If Americans Knew, which presented several talks earlier this year at the library critical of Israeli and U.S. policy in the Middle East.
David Warren, director for the Anti-Defamation League's Connecticut Regional Office, said his organization strives to ensure accurate information is provided to the public.
"Despite suggestions to the contrary, there have been several investigations into the incident, by both the U.S military and the government of Israel as well, all of which have come to the conclusion that the attack was not intentional," said Warren.
(Typical lies and SOP by the apologists, They can't name them or document them, nor was the crew ever invtied to any of these "investigations"-JD)
Gallo and Sturman said Congress has never held a hearing on the attack and that it is their mission for that to happen in their lifetime.
http://www.greenwichtime.com/ci_10573778 | |  | | Cowboy | | Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:57 am Post subject: |
| | Quote: | | Sailors recount attack on USS Liberty |
From Chief Thompson's testimony under oath at the US Navy Court of Inquiry...
Q. Please state your full name and rate.
Harold Jessie Thompson, Chief Communications Technician,
U.S. Navy, USS LIBERTY AGTR-5.
Q. Do you know this Court of Inquiry has been convened to
ascertain facts incident to the attack on USS LIBERTY?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Would you please tell this Court the event you recall of
this attack?
A. We had just secured from general quarters drill and I
had gone on main deck with petty officer HAROLD to discuss
training and some of the attitudes toward training, when I
heard a rocket come past and hit. At this time, I wasn't
sure it was a rocket. I thought it was a shore battery, and
I was either knocked down or I ducked quick. Then I got up
and started running across the deck to repair two locker
which is inside the forecastle. I was knocked down again,
but made it inside to start breaking out the damage control
equipment, getting stretcher bearers on deck, and taking
stock of the situation. The attack appeared to last, I
would say about 20 minutes to half an hour. Time is
difficult to recall. Then I was alone and word was passed
over sound powered phones to DC Central to standby for a
torpedo attach. This was passed two or
[87]
three times, and I believe it was on the first time it was
passed that we got hit. It seemed to take quite awhile for
the torpedo to hit. The explosion wasn't too loud where we
were. The deck lifted about a foot I'd day, and then we
settled right way to a starboard list to about ten degrees.
Although at the time it seemed a little greater. Then we
were strafed at about the same time. I couldn't say whether
it was before or after by the patrol boats. At first I
thought it was the ammunition box over the repair locker
where the ammunition had gotten hot and was exploding, then
we determined that it was a strafing attack. The sound would
coupled with my sighting of the torpedo boats later would
indicate 50 caliber and 40 mm. There were several holes in
the forecastle and the area around the repair locker.
Nobody was hit inside. Later on the bridge asked for
signalmen from various places on the ship. Nobody seamed to
be available so I said I couldn't read flags but I could
read light. They said they didn't need me at this time and
that they wanted me to stay in the repair locker. Word was
passed again to standby for torpedo attack starboard side
and again the word went out for signalmen. Once again I
told them I could not read flags, but if I could be of
service. I was asked to report to the bridge, which I did.
When I got up there, signalman David was attempting to rig a
hand light. I assisted him. We went to the starboard wing
of the bridge and one torpedo boat was making a run straight
at us off the starboard beam while the other two stood off.
At the Captain's directions, David sent "US Naval Ship" ''US
Naval Ship." When they were about 500 yards off, the
torpedo boat turned astern and came up on the stern on the
starboard side and flashed, "do you need help?''
Q. Was this before the torpedo hit?
A. This was after the torpedo hit us, and we were surprised
by the attack. The Captain was giving us word. He said,
"no, thank you." We sent this back to the boat, and our
steering was somewhat erratic and they came up on the port
side then. David went across, I followed him, and saw on
the last part of that message, David said, "Do you want us
to
[88]
standby?" I passed this word to the Captain. He said, "no,
thank you." We sent this to the patrol boat. They came up
along port side, I say roughly 100 yards off, flashed "good
luck" and dropped astern along with the other two which had
come up to the stern, to a mile or a mile and a half back,
just about out of sight. Then they made one high speed run
directly astern and somewhere between a quarter and a half
mile back made a U-turn and disappeared. That was the last
we saw of them. Shortly afterwards, and Israeli helicopter
came, hovered off the bridge and tried to hand signal us,
and dropped a note on the forecastle which was brought to
the bridge. | | | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:45 am Post subject: |
| Fuck you you lying deceitful dishonest neoconservative Israeli Firster apologists piece of shit.
Fuck you, fuck Israel, fuck AIPAC you Pollardite.
You're a born liar and a fraud. | | | | Cowboy | | Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:57 am Post subject: |
| I simply quoted the testimony under oath of Harold Jessie Thompson, Chief Communications Technician on the USS Liberty.
Obviously his sworn testimony bothers you greatly. | | | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:45 pm Post subject: |
| | I just told the truth and you can't stand it Mr. AIPAC. | | | | Cowboy | | Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:26 pm Post subject: |
| I simply quoted the testimony under oath of Harold Jessie Thompson, Chief Communications Technician on the USS Liberty.
Obviously his sworn testimony bothers you greatly.
Do you think that Chief Thompson lied? | | | | Jefferson Davis | | Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject: |
| Here is the great Israeli Firster Liberty apologist spilling his "kosher patriotism".
Israel First ALWAYS and forever according to Cowboy, suck buddy of AIPAC
Spare us your lies, your apologies, your dial loyalties .
You're a fraud and a liar. Go live in Israel oh uber patriot of Zion. | | | | Ken Halliwell | | Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject: |
| Annotated Highlights of Thompson's Testimony:
- "The [air] attack appeared to last, I would say about 20 minutes to half an hour."
- "Then ... word was passed .. to standby for a torpedo attach. ...we got hit [by a torpedo]. ... Then we were strafed [with 50 caliber machine guns and 40 mm cannons by the patrol boats] at about the same time."
- "There were several [patrol boat shelling] holes in the forecastle and the area around the [forward] repair locker [, just aft the ship's large ID markings]."
- "[After the patrol boat attack,] I was asked to report to the bridge [to assist with flashing light signaling]."
- "When I got up [to the bridge], signalman David was attempting to rig a hand light. I assisted him. We went to the starboard wing of the bridge and one torpedo boat was making a run straight at us off the starboard beam while the other two stood off. At the Captain's directions, David sent "US Naval Ship" ''US Naval Ship." When they were about 500 yards off, the torpedo boat turned astern and came up on the stern on the starboard side and flashed, "Do you need help?''
- "We sent [,'No thanks',] to the patrol boat. They came up along port side, I say roughly 100 yards off, flashed, "Good luck."
- Then [the patrol boats] ... made a U-turn and disappeared. That was the last we saw of them. [This was at about 1640, according entries in the Quartermaster's notebook and the CIC log]"
In summary, according to Thompson, the air attack lasted about 20 to 30 minutes. This was soon followed by a torpedo boat attack involving several torpedo runs, and strafing with machine guns and cannon. After the torpedo boat attack ended, and several hours after a torpedo hit, one of the patrol boats signaled, "Do you need help?". The answer was, "No thanks." The patrol boats signaled, "Good luck.", and sped out of sight -- never to be seen again.
Sounds like Thompson's recall was accurate. The only thing missing was the time for the, "Do your need help?", signaling event, but that was easily determined by related entries in the Quartermaster's notebook and CIC log, for the patrol boats' final departure.
The big question: Why did the Israelis wait two hours after the torpedo hit to offer help? | | | | Cowboy | | Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:00 am Post subject: |
| | Quote: | | The big question: Why did the Israelis wait two hours after the torpedo hit to offer help? |
And the Liberty's signal of its identity to them was when?
(See Thompson's testimony) | | | | Ken Halliwell | | Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject: |
| | Quote: | Quote:
The big question: Why did the Israelis wait two hours after the torpedo hit to offer help?
And the Liberty's signal of its identity to them was when?
(See Thompson's testimony) | According to Thompson, Liberty began signaling "US Naval Ship" as the patrol boats began approaching to issue their "Do you need help?" message -- sometime near 1630. (Other COI testimony tells us Liberty had no working signal lights -- due to air attack damage -- until David and Thompson rigged a hand-held light after the torpedo hit and before the "Do you need help?" signaling event.)
Of course, by then the IDF knew the ship was a US Navy ship. According to the IDF, this fact became known when the rescue helicopter pilots -- at 1500 -- saw an American flag on the ship. After the rescue helicopter pilots reported finding nothing of interest in the water, they left -- leaving the patrol boats and the disabled US Navy ship.
So, based on the IDF's claims -- one and one-half hour after the ship was identified as a US Navy ship, help was finally offered by the patrol boats. Still a very long time to wait until finally deciding to offer help to a friend you mistakenly "punched in the face." | | | | | ©2002-2009 WarWithoutEnd.co.uk |
