The Liberty Incident Revealed

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The Liberty Incident Revealed Page 48

by A. Jay Cristol


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  INDEX

  A-A (“identify yourself”) signal, 6–7, 52–53, 54–55, 72, 307–8n21

  Air Force, U.S.: aircraft support for Israel, 5–6, 16, 67, 70, 109–10, 118–19, 135, 146, 207, 239, 307n15, 336n39; relationship between Israeli military and, 159

  America, 3, 19, 60, 66–67, 85, 103, 210, 306nn6–7, 322n18, 325n18, 338n68

  Arish, El: explosions near, 33–34, 242, 249, 317n3, 317n5; intelligence-gathering operations near, 2; Israeli control of, 33, 115; shelling of, 33, 34, 35, 38, 174, 242, 249, 317n2, 317n5; threat from burning ship off, 179; war crimes committed in, 139–40

  Bamford, James, xi, 139–43, 208, 212, 226, 232, 341n32, 362n23

  Bennett, Maurice, 28, 96–97, 106, 144–45, 211–12, 230–31, 352–53n19

  Borne, John E., 106, 119–20, 139

  Castle, Ernest: helicopter flight to Liberty, 61–62, 323n40; meetings and messages
about attack, 60–61, 62, 66, 104, 324n42; Navy Court of Inquiry, 344n12; opinion about attack, 100–101, 232–33; panel participation and paper presentation about Liberty, 354n47; relationship between U.S. and Israeli military, 159; Thames TV interviews, 184; U.S. ships in combat zone, 204

  Clifford, Clark: investigation of Liberty attack, 68–69, 93, 99, 162–63, 172, 236, 243, 345n22; Israeli responsibility for attack, feelings about, 68–69, 325n24; meeting after attack, 64–65; mistaken identity as cause of attack, 144, 146, 215; relationship between Rostow and, 68, 69; relationship between U.S. and Israel, 68, 69

  communications: back-channel communications, 16, 29, 311n33, 316n24; communication link between Kirya and Stella Maris, 34, 41–42; failures in, 28–29, 31, 165–68; Mediterranean Sea, adequacy of communication system in, 29; naval communications system, 17, 207; naval liaison officers at air force command center and communication arrangements, 39, 40–42, 318n17; NSA and Liberty, communications between, 315n15; radio intercepts passed to enemy, 24, 125–26; between Soviet and U.S. warships, 3, 17; top-secret classification for messages, 17, 20, 27–29, 312n42; TRSSCOMM, 24, 29; U.S. practices and attack, xi, 165–68, 207

  conspiracy beliefs and theories, xii, 108–29; aircraft to defend Liberty, 102–6, 119–20, 121–23, 186, 198, 206, 207–8, 210, 337n57; conspiracy role of NSA and State Department, x, xi; cooked telephone conversation, 110–11; cover-up claims and, 31–32, 72–73, 93, 171–72, 208–9, 252, 316n34; deliberate and premeditated act, x, xi, 94, 96, 100–101, 111–13, 116–18, 121–24, 126–29, 139–42, 144, 171–72, 211–15, 230–36, 241–42, 248–53; Egyptian and Arab support for, 108–11; families of lost crew and feelings about, 252–53; Israeli attack on Egypt and nuclear weapons from U.S., 115–16, 335n29; Israeli plans to attack Syria, 99–101, 120–21, 123–24, 129, 139, 226, 243–44, 360n5; Liberty intelligence-gathering for Egypt, 124–26; military success of Israel, 113–15, 128–29; perceptions, reality, and, 128–29; red herrings and myths, 202–9; U.S.-Israeli plot, 118–19

  Davis, 19, 38–39, 66–67, 73–74, 317–18n11

  Dayan, Moshe, 14, 111, 116, 123, 148–55, 184, 208

  Defense, U.S. Department of, 28–29, 31–32, 72–73, 165–68, 252, 316n34

  Eban, Abba, 11, 12, 13–14, 100, 114, 310n22

  Egypt: Arab-Israeli tension, diplomacy to resolve, 12, 13–15; communications from, Liberty monitoring of, 25; diplomatic relations with U.S., 16, 30, 65, 70; Gaza Strip control by, 311n31; Israeli troops along Syrian-Israeli border, information from Soviets about, 10–11; Liberty intelligence-gathering off coast of, 8, 12–13, 15, 25, 27, 33, 239, 310n18, 311n31; meeting between Soviet leaders and, 13; military pact between Iraq and, 15; military pact between Jordan and, 14; Soviet support for, 13; UAR flag and use of name, 309n11; UN Security Council vote on cease-fire, rejection of, 17; U.S. and British aircraft support for, claims of, 124–26. See also Nasser, Gamal Abdel

  Egyptian armed forces: destruction of by Israel Air Force, 5, 15–16; effectiveness of air force and onground turnaround time for aircraft, 5, 307n15; plan for war with Israel, 307n15; Sinai-Israel border, movement of troops to, 10–11, 23, 25; Strait of Tiran access, 12; Suez campaign operations, 6–7

  Ennes, James: explosions in location of El Arish, 33; flag on board Liberty, 60, 76–77; History Channel program, 191–92; Liberty orders and position off coast, 25; private video productions, 194–95; statements about Israel, 101–2; stories about attack, 96–99, 101–2, 103–4, 106, 119, 120, 121–22, 127, 168, 337n55; submarine and Liberty incident, 217–18; Thames TV interview, 183; weather conditions during attack, 80; wounding of, 191–92

  Erell, Shlomo: capabilities, training, and force strength of Navy, 7; identification of targeted ship as American, 48; Liberty designation on plotting table, 21, 40, 319n20; Liberty incident, errors in judgment and, 179, 250; location of during attack, 150; radar ghosts and authorization to attack enemy ships, 42, 319n22; Thames TV interview, 319n20; torpedo attack order, countermand of, 59

  Eshkol, Levi, 14, 15, 114, 154

  Evron, Ephraim, 69, 177, 178, 202, 310n22, 313n5, 355n1

  Findley, Paul, 120–21, 337n45

  Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XIX, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1967, release of and conference on, x–xi, 199, 224–26, 247–48, 354n47, 359–60n1

  friendly fire: examples of and explanations for, 83–88, 247, 329n19, 330n31; feelings of survivors of, 92, 93, 94; Liberty incident as, x, xi, 71–72, 76–88, 144, 146, 157, 160–61, 171, 172, 180–82, 213–15, 232–36, 238–45, 250–53, 326n37

  Golden, George, 60, 94–95, 144, 183, 186, 211–12, 341n42, 352–53n19

  Great Britain, 5–6, 16, 19, 31, 67, 109–10, 124–26, 207, 239, 307n15

  Green, Stephen, 118–19, 130, 135, 196, 207, 340n15

  Harman, Avraham, 69, 114, 178, 310n22

  Hebrew linguists, 14, 25, 99, 114, 124, 140, 142–44, 212, 311nn28–29, 332n34

  Hickman, Richard, 143–44, 210–11, 213, 356n3

  Hod, Mordechai “Motti,” 41, 42, 198, 230, 252–53, 311n31, 330n23

  Hussein Ibn Talal, King, 6, 14, 16, 110–11, 146, 207, 311n33

  Ibrahim al-Awwal (Egypt), 6–7, 39, 55, 127, 307n19, 308n26

  intelligence-gathering operations: eavesdropping and, 24–25, 29–32, 125–26, 315n12; EC-121 aircraft interception and recording of radio transmissions, 140–47, 210–15, 231–32; Liberty intelligence gathering for Egypt, 124–26; Liberty mission and technical research operations, 2, 12–13, 24–27, 29–32, 248–52, 315n12, 364n7, 364–365nn9–10; safety of ships involved in, 72, 73, 164, 246–47, 346n34; technical research ships for, 72, 73, 327n45; U.S. technological development and expertise in, 24–25, 29–32, 125, 246, 315n12, 363–64n3

  investigations of Liberty incident: CIA investigation and report, 160–61, 172, 344n15; Clifford investigation and report, 68–69, 93, 99, 162–63, 172, 236, 243, 345n22; congressional investigations, 28–29, 93, 144, 163–69, 171–72, 189, 208, 346n32, 346–47n35, 347nn40–41, 348n53, 349n55; IDF document about attacks, 179–82; Israeli investigations, 173–82, 350n1, 350nn3–7; JCS fact-finding study, 162, 172, 345nn19–20; Liberty mission cover-up and, 32, 252; Liberty Veterans Association request for, 93, 171–72; naval inquiry procedures, 40, 319n21; Navy Court of Inquiry, 73, 89, 93, 145, 156–60, 172, 189–92, 190, 215, 227–29, 342–44nn1–8, 344n12, 352–53nn18–19, 360–61n2, 361n5, 361n15; number of U.S., 208; U.S. investigation in Israel, 169, 348–49nn50–55

  Israel: apology for and regrets about Liberty attack, 61, 113–14, 180–82, 244–45, 363n5; Arab-Israeli tension, diplomacy to resolve, 12, 13–15; cabinet meeting on decision to attack, 14, 15, 310n24; communications from, Liberty monitoring of, 25; disputes along Syrian-Israeli border, 9–11; humanitarian reparations, 244–45, 363n5; Jordanian attack on, 16; Liberty location off coast of, 27; national unity government, formation of, 14; relationship between U.S. and, x, 23, 31, 68–69, 128–29, 208; request to Jordan to stay out of war, 16, 311n33; settlement between State Department and, 169–70; Syrian attack by, 154; Syrian attack plans of, 99–101, 120–21, 123–24, 129, 139, 226, 243–44, 360n5; Syrian threat of action toward, 11; terrorist incursions from Syria into, 9

  Israel Air Force: air support call from navy, 39–42, 249; aircraft held back at start of war, 311n31; capabilities, training, and force strength of, 7; communication between navy and, 59; destruction of Egyptian, Syrian, and Jordanian air forces by, 5; disputes along Syrian-Israeli border, 9–10; effectiveness of and onground turnaround time for aircraft, 5, 307n15; headquarters of, 34; identification of ships, training for, 84, 127, 161, 174; interservice rivalries, 7–8, 39, 45, 249; naval liaison officers and communication arrangements, 39, 40–42, 318n17; naval reconnaissance flight and identification of Liberty, 20–21, 38–39, 40, 93–94, 205, 239, 313n46, 313n48, 331n9; naval reconnaissance flights schedule, 20, 312–13n45; pilots and crew involved in attack, 136–39, 169, 305n1, 348–49nn50–55; precision of attack, 327n47; procedures to prevent tr
agic mistakes, xii; radar ghosts and authorization to attack enemy ships, 42, 319n22; radio call signs for aircraft, 305n1, 319n24, 322n9; relationship between U.S. and Israeli military, 159; search-and-rescue operations by, 59–60, 143, 213, 289–304, 323n36; structure and organization of, 6; study of incident, xii; Suez campaign operations, 6–7; U.S. and British aircraft support for, claims of, 5–6, 16, 67, 70, 109–10, 118–19, 135, 146, 207, 239, 307n15, 336n39; War of Independence operations, 6

  Israel Air Force air traffic controller communications: flag on board Liberty, 323n37; identification of targeted ship, 60, 213–15, 241–42; transcripts and translations of, 92, 213–15, 261–78

  Israel Defense Forces (IDF): disputes along Syrian-Israeli border, 9–11; document on Liberty incident, 179–82; establishment of, 6, 307n17; friendly fire mistakes of, 86; interservice rivalries, 7–8; mobilization of forces, 11, 99–100, 309n13; negligence and failures of and Liberty incident, 162–63, 176–79, 345n22; relationship between U.S. and Israeli military, 159; structure and organization of, 6; Thames TV interviews, 183–84

  Israel Navy: air support call to air force, 39–42, 249; Blue Max code, 43, 319n28; capabilities, training, and force strength of, 7, 308nn26–27; coastal patrol and protection mission of, 308n27; command-and-control center move to Kirya, 317n6; communication between air force and, 59; establishment and command of, 350–51n12; interservice rivalries, 7–8, 39, 45, 249; liaison officers at air force command center and communication arrangements, 39, 40–42, 318n17; miscalculations by and attack, xi; procedures to prevent tragic mistakes, xii; radar ghosts and authorization to attack enemy ships, 42, 319n22; reconnaissance flight and identification of Liberty, 20–21, 38–39, 40, 93–94, 205, 239, 313n46, 313n48, 331n9; reconnaissance flights schedule with Air Force, 20, 312–13n45; ship seizures, approval for, xii; structure and organization of, 6; Suez campaign operations, 6–7; torpedo use by, 58, 323n33; War of Independence operations, 6. See also Stella Maris command-and-control center

  Johnson, Lyndon: aircraft to defend Liberty, 102–4, 206; apology and regrets about from Israel for attack, 114; Arab-Israeli tension, briefings about and knowledge of, 23; Arab-Israeli tension, diplomacy to resolve, 12, 13–14; Arab-Israeli tension, meeting with Eban to resolve without Israeli military action, 13, 310n22; betrayal of U.S. by, 104, 206, 208; hotline messages between Kosygin and, 63, 64, 123, 324n4; Israeli plans to attack Syria, 123–24; Medal of Honor awarded by, 89–91; message from Kosygin to request cooperation, 16; notification of Liberty attack, 63–65, 66, 240–41, 324n4; opinion about attack, 234–36, 362n35; summit meeting with Kosygin, 5, 306n13

 

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