MEDITERRANEAN SEA — U.S. Representative Thomas Massie announced he would deliver a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives to memorialize the crew of the USS Liberty.
On June 8, 1967, an Israeli attack killed at least 34 U.S. sailors and wounded 171 others aboard the USS Liberty in the Mediterranean Sea. Israeli air and naval forces attacked the USS Liberty in international waters near the Sinai Peninsula during the 1967 war. Israeli officials claimed the attack resulted from a case of mistaken identity, stating their naval forces believed the vessel was an Egyptian warship.
During the assault, Israeli jets struck the USS Liberty's deck with anti-personnel weapons and armor-piercing bullets. Israeli torpedo boats also struck the starboard side of the vessel, killing 25 personnel in the lower research spaces. Prior to the attack, the USS Liberty crew flew the U.S. flag and exchanged waves with low-flying Israeli aircraft.
USS Liberty chief engineer Richard Brooks said, "It was a deliberate attack. They knew who we were. They tried to sink us." Ernie Gallo, president of the USS Liberty Survivors Group, rejected the mistaken identity claim and accused the U.S. government of complicity in establishing the official account.
Massie described the incident as an unprovoked attack by Israel. The U.S. Congress has not formed a committee to formally investigate the 1967 attack. A naval board of inquiry convened while the ship was dry-docked in Malta, and the proceedings concluded. Massie stated that several survivors planned to attend his congressional memorial speech as guests.