From Newsgroup: nz.politics

Phillip Tourney

Here is the text of the open letter by Phillip Tourney, President of
the USS Liberty Veterans Association, published in a full-page
advertisement in the daily Washington Times, June 6, 2002 (p. A11).

U.S.S. LIBERTY VETERANS ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 1887, Washington, DC 20013-1887

June 1, 2002

President George W. Bush
Commander in Chief, White House
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President,

Saturday, June 8, 2002 marks the 35th anniversary of probably the most
shameful day in American history. That day AmericaAs banner and honor
were treacherously trashed by our so-called ally, Israel. Thirty-four
Americans were brutally slaughtered, 172 wounded, including myself.
AmericaAs most sophisticated intelligence ship was so badly damaged it
had to be scrapped. Israel deliberately attacked AmericaAs virtually
unarmed USS Liberty in international waters, knowing full well our
identity, in an assault that lasted as long as the attack on Pearl
Harbor.

On that bright, sunny, infamous day, the Liberty had a large American
flag flapping in the wind and ten foot high I.D. markings on her hull,
which were clearly visible during the full six hours (6:00 a.m. to
12:00 noon) that low-flying, slow-moving, propeller recons, distinctly
marked with Stars of David, reconnoitered our ship. Overheard radio transmission of the pilots confirmed that the Israel had positively
identified the Liberty as American.

Suddenly at 2:00 p.m., the government of Israel put a knife in the
back of America. In a diabolic attempt at deception, the Israelis
began the attack with unmarked jet fighters using rockets, cannons,
and napalm on our unprotected ship. Then three motor torpedo boats
arrived on the scene and fired six torpedoes at us, one hitting its
mark, midship on the starboard side, instantly blowing to bits 25 of
AmericaAs finest young men. The torpedo gunmen shot at our
firefighters and stretcher-bearers, using us as target practice,
maiming and murdering as many of AmericaAs sons as they could.

The captain ordered us to prepare to abandon ship, as the ship was in
grave danger of sinking from a torpedo hit that left a 40 foot by 40
foot hole in her. There were only three life rafts left that they
hadnAt already destroyed. We put them over the side to put as many
wounded in as possible. The torpedo boats machine gunned the life
rafts and sank two of them and took one aboard their boat u no
survivors were to be taken! Helicopters were overhead to board our
ship with Israeli commandos at the ready to finish us off.

Responding to an S.O.S. from the Liberty, the USS Saratoga launched
their jets approximately 15 minutes into the vicious Israeli attack.
Within minutes after the launch, incredibly and inexplicably,
Washington shamefully and unconscionably recalled the jets, abandoning
helpless American sailors under fire, and subjecting them to an
additional two hours of barbaric Israeli bombardment and butchery.

Fortuitously, when the Israelis picked up an invalid message that U.S.
help was on the way, Israel reluctantly was forced to terminate its
ongoing assault. Without that break, I would not be alive writing this
letter.

Ironically, help did not arrive until 18 hours after the attack, when
it was only 15 minutes away. When an American rescue ship finally
arrived, what they found was shocking: the Liberty was in shambles,
death on the water. There were 821 rocket and cannon holes in her
hull, thousands of 50 caliber armor-piercing bullets riddling her
skin, a tunnel size torpedo cavity in her broad side, and the residue
of napalm that had been dropped to burn us up. Blood and body parts
were strewn across the deck. A sad, outrageous story, but
unfortunately true.

The crew of the most decorated naval ship in American history was
ordered to remain silent under threat of court martial, imprisonment
or worse, and we all knew what worst meant. The U.S. government has
never challenged the obviously phony Israeli excuse of omistaken
identity,o nor have they attempted to expose the dishonorable cover-up
that continues to date. Truth and AmericaAs honor were ignominiously
sacrificed to provide cover for IsraelAs transparent lies and
despicable act of perfidy.

IsraelAs premeditated, sneak attack on the USS Liberty was a direct
attack on America. The disgraceful refusal of unpatriotic American
governmental officials of dubious allegiance to defend America and
come to the aid of brave Americans under attack can only be
characterized as treasonous.

Mr. President, on behalf of the courageous crew of the USS Liberty,
dead and alive, I respectfully request that you commission a
presidential panel to finally investigate the attack and cover-up of
the USS Liberty, and report the truth to the American people.

Thank you, Mr. President. God bless you! God bless America!
Respectfully,
Phillip F. Tourney, President
USS Liberty Veterans Association



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