It is refreshing to see all these supportive remarks from fellow vets.
I was OOD on the bridge for several hours just before the attack and was just relieved as the attacking aircraft approached. I was hit by fragments from the first rockets and spent the next year in the hospital and/or restricted medical status.
I am also author of ASSAULT ON THE LIBERTY, which has sold over 110,000 copies, and am webmaster of
www.ussliberty.org which, along with our sister site at
www.usslibertyinquiry.com, tells the story.
As most people understand, there is no way this attack could be dismissed as "friendly fire". The Israelis have used that excuse for 37 years, but it doesn't hold water.
They reconnoittered us at low level for at least nine hours before attacking, and were heard during that peirod telling their HQ that we were an American ship. But even more incriminating, American intercept operators heard the Israeli controllers telling the pilots to quickly sink the AMERICAN ship. The pilots positively identified us as AMERICAN, and were told to sink us quickly and get away. They wanted to be out of the area before the Sixth Fleet jets showed up. Sworn affidavits can be found at
www.ussliberty.org/smoking.htm.
That in no way could be dismissed as "friendly fire".
The shame is that the press has given it little attention, and the Congress has given it no attention at all.
Jim Ennes
USS Liberty survivor