Overview

• On June 8, 1967, Israeli jets and torpedo boats attacked the USS Liberty in international waters off Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, killing 34 crew members and wounding 171.
• Israel issued a formal apology for the assault and paid $13 million in reparations to survivors and families of the fallen.
• Survivors such as Maurice Shafer recount being ordered to silence and allege a U.S. government cover-up of key operational details.
• Captain William McGonagle has consistently maintained in U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry testimony that the attack was a tragic case of mistaken identity.
• On the 58th anniversary, veterans, advocates and former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren are pressing for the release of all classified records related to the incident.