[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 130 (Monday, October 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1886-E1889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN RECOGNITION OF ADMIRAL THOMAS H. MOORER
______
HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Thursday, October 7, 2004
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, on February 5 of this year, a legendary
American naval hero passed away in Bethesda, Maryland. Admiral Thomas
H. Moorer epitomized the finest qualities of dedication and national
service. His distinguished naval career spanned 41 years, including
service as a naval aviator, as one of the first pilots off the ground
during the attack on Pearl Harbor, as a decorated hero of numerous
combat missions in the Southwest Pacific and the Battle of Midway, as
Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, as commander of NATO's U.S.
Atlantic Command and the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, becoming the only officer
in the Navy's history to command both our Atlantic and Pacific Fleets,
as Chief of Naval Operations, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
and as a tireless advocate for American veterans. Admiral Moorer was
instrumental in establishing the United States Navy Memorial on
Pennsylvania Avenue. In numerous appearances before Congressional
Committees, Admiral Moorer provided valuable testimony on a variety of
national security concerns.
Capping this extraordinary career, Admiral Moorer made his final
appearance on Capitol Hill on October 22, 2003, as Chairman of the
Independent Commission of Inquiry into the 1967 attack on the USS
Liberty. It is a privilege for me to introduce the Findings of the
Independent Commission of Inquiry Into the Israeli Attack on the USS
Liberty into the Congressional Record.
Findings of the Independent Commission of Inquiry Into the Israeli
Attack on the USS ``LIBERTY,'' the Recall of Military Rescue Support
Aircraft While the Ship Was Under Attack, and the Subsequent Cover-Up
by the United States Government
We, the undersigned, having undertaken an independent
investigation of Israel's attack on the USS Liberty,
including eyewitness testimony from surviving crewmembers, a
review of naval and other official records, an examination of
official statements by the Israeli and American governments,
a study of the conclusions of all previous official
inquiries, and a consideration of important
[[Page E1887]]
new evidence and recent statements from individuals having
direct knowledge of the attack or the cover up, hereby find
the following:
1. That on June 8, 1967, after eight hours of aerial
surveillance, Israel launched a two-hour air and naval attack
against the USS Liberty, the world's most sophisticated
intelligence ship, inflicting 34 dead and 172 wounded
American servicemen (a casualty rate of seventy percent, in a
crew of 294);
2. That the Israeli air attack lasted approximately 25
minutes, during which time unmarked Israeli aircraft dropped
napalm canisters on the Liberty's bridge, and fired 30mm
cannons and rockets into our ship, causing 821 holes, more
than 100 of which were rocket-size; survivors estimate 30 or
more sorties were flown over the ship by a minimum of 12
attacking Israeli planes which were jamming all five American
emergency radio channels;
3. That the torpedo boat attack involved not only the
firing of torpedoes, but the machine-gunning of the Liberty's
firefighters and stretcher-bearers as they struggled to save
their ship and crew; the Israeli torpedo boats later returned
to machine-gun at close range three of the Liberty's life
rafts that had been lowered into the water by survivors to
rescue the most seriously wounded;
4. That there is compelling evidence that Israel's attack
was a deliberate attempt to destroy an American ship and kill
her entire crew; evidence of such intent is supported by
statements from Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Undersecretary
of State George Ball, former CIA director Richard Helms,
former NSA directors Lieutenant General William Odom, USA
(Ret.), Admiral Bobby Ray Inman, USN (Ret.), and Marshal
Carter; former NSA deputy directors Oliver Kirby and Major
General John Morrison, USAF (Ret.); and former Ambassador
Dwight Porter, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon in 1967;
5. That in attacking the USS Liberty, Israel committed acts
of murder against American servicemen and an act of war
against the United States;
6. That fearing conflict with Israel, the White House
deliberately prevented the U.S. Navy from coming to the
defense of the Liberty by recalling Sixth Fleet military
rescue support while the ship was under attack; evidence of
the recall of rescue aircraft is supported by statements of
Captain Joe Tully, Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier
USS Saratoga, and Rear Admiral Lawrence Geis, the Sixth Fleet
carrier division commander, at the time of the attack; never
before in American naval history has a rescue mission been
cancelled when an American ship was under attack;
7. That although the Liberty was saved from almost certain
destruction through the heroic efforts of the ship's Captain,
William L. McGonagle (MOH), and his brave crew, surviving
crewmembers were later threatened with ``court-martial,
imprisonment or worse'' if they exposed the truth; and were
abandoned by their own government;
8. That due to the influence of Israel's powerful
supporters in the United States, the White House deliberately
covered up the facts of this attack from the American people;
9. That due to continuing pressure by the pro-Israel lobby
in the United States, this attack remains the only serious
naval incident that has never been thoroughly investigated by
Congress; to this day, no surviving crewmember has been
permitted to officially and publicly testify about the
attack;
10. That there has been an official cover-up without
precedent in American naval history; the existence of such a
cover-up is now supported by statements of Rear Admiral
Merlin Staring, USN (Ret.), former Judge Advocate General of
the Navy; and Captain Ward Boston, USN, (Ret.), the chief
counsel to the Navy's 1967 Court of Inquiry of the Liberty
attack;
11. That the truth about Israel's attack and subsequent
White House cover-up continues to be officially concealed
from the American people to the present day and is a national
disgrace;
12. That a danger to our national security exists whenever
our elected officials are willing to subordinate American
interests to those of any foreign nation, and specifically
are unwilling to challenge Israel's interests when they
conflict with American interests; this policy, evidenced by
the failure to defend the USS Liberty and the subsequent
official cover-up of the Israeli attack, endangers the safety
of Americans and the security of the United States.
Whereupon, we, the undersigned, in order to fulfill our
duty to the brave crew of the USS Liberty and to all
Americans who are asked to serve in our Armed Forces, hereby
call upon the Department of the Navy, the Congress of the
United States and the American people to immediately take the
following actions:
First, That a new Court of Inquiry be convened by the
Department of the Navy, operating with Congressional
oversight, to take public testimony from surviving
crewmembers; and to thoroughly investigate the circumstances
of the attack on the USS Liberty, with full cooperation from
the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency
and the military intelligence services, and to determine
Israel's possible motive in launching said attack on a U.S.
naval vessel;
Second, That every appropriate committee of the Congress of
the United States investigate the actions of the White House
and Defense Department that prevented the rescue of the USS
Liberty, thereafter threatened her surviving officers and men
if they exposed the truth, and covered up the true
circumstances of the attack from the American people; and
Third, That the eighth day of June of every year be
proclaimed to be hereafter known as USS Liberty Remembrance
Day, in order to commemorate the Liberty's heroic crew; and
to educate the American people of the danger to our national
security inherent in any passionate attachment of our elected
officials for any foreign nation.
affidavit of captain ward boston, usn, jag (ret.), Senior counsel to
the U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry
For more than 30 years, I have remained silent on the topic
of the USS Liberty. I am a military man and when orders come
in from the Secretary of Defense and President of the United
States, I follow them.
However, recent attempts to rewrite history compel me to
share the truth.
In June of 1967, while serving as a Captain in the Judge
Advocates General Department of the Navy, I was assigned as
senior legal counsel for the Navy's Court of Inquiry into the
brutal attack on the USS Liberty, which had occurred on June
8th. The late Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, president of the Court,
and I were given only one week to gather evidence for the
Navy's official investigation into the attack. Admiral John
S. McCain, Jr., then Commander-in-chief, Naval Forces Europe
(CINCUSNAVEUR), at his headquarters in London, had charged
Admiral Kidd (in a letter dated June 10, 1967) to ``inquire
into all the pertinent facts and circumstances leading to and
connected with the armed attack: damage resulting therefrom;
and deaths of and injuries to Naval personnel.'' Despite the
short amount of time we were given, we gathered a vast amount
of evidence, including hours of heartbreaking testimony from
the young survivors.
The evidence was clear. Both Admiral Kidd and I believed
with certainty that this attack, which killed 34 American
sailors and injured 172 others, was a deliberate effort to
sink an American ship and murder its entire crew. I am
certain that the Israeli pilots that undertook the attack, as
well as their superiors who had ordered the attack, were
aware that the ship was American.
I saw the flag, which had visibly identified the ship as
American, riddled with bullet holes, and heard testimony that
made it clear that the Israelis intended there be no
survivors. Not only did the Israelis attack the ship with
napalm, gunfire, and missiles, Israeli torpedo boats machine-
gunned three lifeboats that had been launched in an attempt
by the crew to save the most seriously wounded--a war crime.
I am outraged at the efforts of the apologists for Israel
in this country to claim that this attack was a case of
``mistaken identity.'' In particular, the recent publication
of Jay Cristol's book, The Liberty Incident, twists the facts
and misrepresents the views of those of us who investigated
the attack. It is Cristol's insidious attempt to whitewash
the facts that has pushed me to speak out.
I know from personal conversations I had with Admiral Kidd
that President Lyndon Johnson and Secretary of Defense Robert
McNamara ordered him to conclude that the attack was a case
of ``mistaken identity'' despite overwhelming evidence to the
contrary. Contrary to the misinformation presented by Cristol
and others, it is important for the American people to know
that it is clear that Israel is responsible for deliberately
attacking an American ship and murdering American sailors,
whose bereaved shipmates have lived with this egregious
conclusion for many years.
commonly asked questions about the uss ``liberty''
1. What happened to the USS Liberty? The USS Liberty was a
virtually unarmed American Navy ship that was attacked by
Israeli planes and torpedo boats on June 8, 1967.
2. What were the American casualties? 34 American sailors
were killed and 172 injured that day, a casualty rate of 70%.
This is the highest casualty rate ever inflicted upon a U.S.
naval vessel that remained afloat after an attack.
3. What was Israel's explanation for the attack? Israel
claimed the attack was ``a case of mistaken identity''; that
they didn't know it was an American ship.
4. Why would we question that explanation more than 30
years later? The ship's survivors were afraid to speak out in
the early years because of threats of ``court martial, prison
or worse'' if they did not remain silent. However, as time
passed, they have stepped forward to say the attack was
deliberate.
Recently, high government and military officials have
suggested that not only was the attack deliberate, but that
the US government covered up the incident. Today, an
Independent Commission of Inquiry has found that Israel
committed ``an act of war'' against the United States (see
Findings of Independent Commission).
In addition, the Navy's chief attorney to the original 1967
military Court of Inquiry has issued a statement that orders
to cover up the incident were issued by President Lyndon
Johnson and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara [see
Statement of Captain Ward Boston, USN, JAG (Ret.)].
5. Did Israel have reason to believe the USS Liberty was an
Egyptian ship? Israel says its pilots and torpedo boat
commanders
[[Page E1888]]
confused the USS Liberty with the El Quseir, an Egyptian ship
allegedly firing upon its forces in the Sinai. But there was
no Egyptian naval bombardment that day; nor did the El Quseir
(an unarmed 1920s-era horse carrier out of service in
Alexandria) bear any resemblance to the Liberty.
6. Isn't it difficult to identify a ship if you're in an
airplane? In 1967, the USS Liberty was the most sophisticated
intelligence ship in the world, with dozens of large
antennas, including a large moon-bounce ``satellite-dish''
mounted on a tall structure near the stern. It may have been
one of the most easily identifiable ships of any navy in the
world. With a displacement of 10,000 tons, it was four times
the size of the antique Egyptian transport it is claimed to
have resembled. Freshly painted, the Liberty carried large
white identification numbers on its bow. Egyptian hull
numbers are painted black.
7. Doesn't Israel say that the Liberty flew no flag?
According to American survivors, a 5-by-8 feet American flag
was hoisted early that morning and was flying all day until
it was shot away by attacking aircraft. Within several
minutes, it was replaced by the giant 7-by-13 feet holiday
ensign, which flew for the duration of the attack.
8. Could Israel have thought the ship was in a war zone,
acting suspiciously? According to surviving crewmembers,
Israeli reconnaissance aircraft closely studied the Liberty
over an eight-hour period prior to the attack, one flying
within two hundred feet of the ship. At all times the Liberty
was a clearly marked American ship in international waters,
proceeding at a speed of only 5 knots.
9. What was the weather like the day of the attack? Weather
reports confirm that it was a clear day with unlimited
visibility. The Israeli reconnaissance planes could have seen
the Liberty's crew sunbathing on the upper decks just before
the attack. The flag was flying in a 12-knot breeze for most
of the afternoon.
10. Doesn't Israel say they ended the attack the minute
they saw someone hoist an American flag? The Israeli attack
by combined air and naval forces spanned two hours--as long
as the attack on Pearl Harbor. The air attack alone lasted
approximately 25 minutes: consisting of more than 30 sorties
by approximately 12 separate planes using napalm, cannon, and
rockets which left 821 holes in the ship. Following the air
attack, three Israeli motor torpedo boats torpedoed the ship,
causing a 40' x 40' wide hole in her hull, and machine-
gunning firefighters and stretcher-bearers attempting to save
their ship and crew. More than 3,000 machine-gun bullet holes
were later counted on the Liberty's hull. After the attack
was thought to have ended, three life rafts were lowered into
the water to rescue the most seriously wounded. The Israeli
torpedo boats returned and machine-gunned these life rafts at
close range. This was followed by the approach of two large
Israeli Army assault helicopters filled with armed commandos
carrying what appeared to be explosive satchels (they
departed after hovering over the ship for several minutes,
making no attempt to communicate).
11. Did the Liberty send out a distress signal when it was
under attack? Throughout the air attack, the Liberty's radio
operators found it difficult to transmit a distress signal
because the attacking Israeli aircraft jammed all five of the
Liberty's American, not Egyptian, emergency radio channels.
However, a call for help did reach the U.S. Navy command in
the Mediterranean.
12. What was the American response time? Although American
carrier-based air support was only 40 minutes away, help did
not reach the USS Liberty for seventeen hours. Navy fighters
were launched from the aircraft carriers America and Saratoga
while the Liberty was under attack. However, they were
quickly recalled by the White House. This is the only
instance in American naval history where a rescue mission was
cancelled when an American ship was under attack.
13. Why would Israel have deliberately attacked an American
ship? Israel's motive for launching the attack has never been
determined with certainty. This is why an impartial
investigation is critical. One hypothesis is that Israel
intended to sink the ship (with no survivors) and blame Egypt
because this might have brought the United States into the
1967 war. Another hypothesis is that the Liberty was
gathering intelligence about activities that Israel did not
want revealed. Examples might include the massacre of
Egyptian prisoners of war that was then occurring in the
Sinai, as well as Israel's impending invasion of Syria.
14. Has the incident been investigated in the past? Some
people say that there have been ``thirteen official
investigations'' all concluding the attack was a case of
mistaken identity. Several were conducted by Israel. Upon
examination, however, every one is based upon the conclusions
of the original 1967 U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry, which
accepted the Israeli version, but which has been exposed and
discredited by its chief attorney as a cover-up.
15. Did the surviving crewmembers testify in the other
investigations? In not one of these ``investigations'' were
any of the Liberty's surviving crewmembers permitted to
publicly testify.
16. Why would the White House prevent the rescue of an
American ship? This is, perhaps, the most disturbing question
arising out of Israel's attack. It is why there needs to be a
thorough investigation of the actions taken by the White
House and the Secretary of Defense. Why did they order the
recall of the planes that had been sent to rescue the
Liberty? Why did they order that the survivors be silenced
and the true facts be withheld from the American people?
17. What kind of investigation are you calling for? We are
calling for a new Court of Inquiry by the Department of the
Navy, with congressional oversight, to take public testimony
from surviving crewmembers and otherwise thoroughly examine
the circumstances of the attack.
18. Why are you calling for a naval--and not a
congressional--investigation? We believe this would remove
the inquiry from the political pressures traditionally
exerted by special interest groups upon individual
congressional offices. Fundraising and election pressures
have prevented an honest investigation from being conducted
for the past 36 years.
19. Why is this significant for the American people 36
years later? We have a duty to the crew of the USS Liberty,
while the survivors are still alive to testify, and while the
perpetrators can be brought to justice. Furthermore, any
policies that paralyze our elected leadership to the extent
they become unable or unwilling to protect Americans and
American interests, endangers not only the safety of all
Americans but also the national security of the United
States.
20. Doesn't America have a special relationship with
Israel? No nation or people should be above the law; nor
should American interests be subordinated to the interests of
any foreign nation. Those Israelis responsible for ordering
the attack and the resulting murder of American sailors must
be held accountable for their actions.
the independent commission of inquiry
Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of
Staff--The distinguished naval career of Admiral Thomas H.
Moorer spanned 41 years. Following his Graduation from the
Naval Academy in 1933, he became a Navy pilot, a war hero,
and a ship's captain. On December 7, 1941, as a naval
aviator, Lieutenant Moorer was one of the first pilots off
the ground following the attack on Pearl Harbor. A hero of
the Battle of Midway, his numerous decorations for valor
during WWII include the Silver Star and Purple Heart. In
1957, Moorer was promoted to the rank of Admiral. In 1965, he
broke new ground, becoming the only American admiral to have
ever commanded both our Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. He later
served as Chief of Naval Operations, and Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff. The F-14 Tomcat, the Navy's main
fighter for many years, was named for Admiral Moorer. Since
his retirement in 1974, Admiral Moorer has served on the
boards of many American corporations, and is a tireless
advocate for American veterans. Working with Admiral Arleigh
Burke (CNO), Admiral Moorer was instrumental in establishing
the United States Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue in
Washington, D.C. He is currently Chairman of the Liberty
Alliance, an organization dedicated to obtaining an honest
investigation of Israel's attack on the USS Liberty and the
official cover-up that followed.
General of Marines Raymond G. Davis (MOH), former Assistant
Commandant of the Marine Corps--General Davis, one of
America's most decorated heroes, passed away on September 3,
2003. As a combat veteran of three wars and a dedicated
member of the Marine Corps for 34 years, General Davis
received the Congressional Medal of Honor--the nation's
highest award for valor--as well as the Navy Cross, two
Distinguished Service Medals, two Silver Stars, two Legion of
Merit awards, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. General
Davis was renowned for his exploits in the Pacific during
WWII, as a battalion and regimental commander during the
Korean War, and as Commanding General of the 3rd Marine
Division in Viet Nam. Attaining four-star rank in 1971, Davis
served as Assistant Commandant of the Corps before retiring
in 1972. A strong proponent of veterans' issues, General
Davis served as chairman of the advisory board to the Korean
War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., dedicated in 1995.
Prior to his death, General Davis served as Vice Chairman of
the Liberty Alliance and was a principal member of the
Commission of Inquiry into the cover-up of the attack on the
USS Liberty.
Rear Admiral Merlin Staring, former Judge Advocate General
of the Navy--Merlin Staring's distinguished naval career,
which spanned nearly 25 years, began as an ensign in December
1941. Among his numerous decorations, Admiral Staring was
awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. In June of
1967, Staring served as Staff Legal Officer to Admiral John
S. McCain, Jr., the Commander-in-chief, U.S. Naval Forces
Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR) in London, which encompassed the
Mediterranean, and was assigned to review the record of the
Navy Court of Inquiry's investigation into the Israeli attack
on the USS Liberty. Admiral Staring later served as the
Navy's legal advisor to Secretaries of the Navy Paul R.
Ignatius and John H. Chafee. Attaining the rank of Rear
Admiral in 1972, he was appointed Judge Advocate General of
the Navy--the Navy's chief attorney--a position he held
through 1975. Currently, Admiral Staring is Treasurer and a
director of the Liberty Alliance.
Ambassador James Akins, former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi
Arabia--James Akins served his country for 25 years as a
distinguished member of the diplomatic corps. From 1963-1965,
he served as an attache at
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the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and later as the U.S. Ambassador
to Saudi Arabia during the Nixon administration. An
internationally respected expert on the Middle East and
energy issues, Ambassador Akins has been an active and
outspoken proponent for a just resolution of the Arab-Israeli
conflict. He is a respected and highly sought speaker and
analyst on the Middle East peace process as well as Arab
politics in general. Author Jeans-Jacques Servan Schreiber
called Ambassador Akins ``the westerner who knows the most
about the Middle East and has the closest relationship of
trust with its leaders.'' Ambassador Akins is a director of
the Liberty Alliance.
____________________