Israeli Attack On U.S.S. Liberty: A Key Flashpoint Within The American Right

On June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israeli military forces attacked the U.S.S. Liberty, a U.S. Navy intelligence-gathering ship operating in international waters off the Sinai Peninsula. The controversy surrounding the incident has recently become a key flashpoint within President Trump's MAGA movement, splitting the American right along 'America first' and 'Israel first' lines.

The USS Liberty was conducting a classified intelligence-gathering mission in international waters, 25 miles northeast of the Egyptian coast. The ship was flying a 5 x 8 foot American flag, and survivors insist it was clearly visible.

The attack which began at 3:05pm local time, involved two Israeli Mirage fighter jets conducting multiple strafing runs, followed by three Israeli torpedo boats launching five torpedoes—one struck the Liberty, causing massive damage.

The assault lasted about two hours, resulting in 34 American service members killed and 171 wounded. The ship, flying the U.S. flag and displaying its hull number (AGTR-5) clearly, was heavily damaged but did not sink.

Survivors report that the ship’s decks became a “living hell” with temperatures reaching 3,000 degrees, and that the attack was so intense that crew members were killed instantly, including Lieutenant Commander Philip Armstrong Jr., the executive officer, who died during the assault.

Maurice Shafer, a Morse Code operator and communications technician, recalled a jet flying low and firing “to kill all the people it could kill,” with a missile killing his buddy just 15 feet away.

Shafer, recounted that Israeli aircraft first strafed the ship at low altitude, killing a crewmate nearby. He described the torpedo boats approaching with what appeared to be Israeli flags, only to open fire at close range. “We were dead, dead in the water,” he said.

Life rafts that crewmen had deployed were machine-gunned, and torpedo boats circled the burning ship, firing from close range at survivors on deck or attempting to rescue others. A torpedo boat that entered the area to assist was fired upon.

Survivors reported that Israeli forces jammed Liberty’s radio frequencies, machine-gunned life rafts, and continued attacking despite knowing the ship was American. One survivor, Larry Bowen, said that intercepted Israeli communications confirmed they knew the Liberty was U.S. and were ordered to continue the assault.

One intercepted message at 3:31 p.m. stated: “There is a warship there which we attacked. The men jumped into the water from it. You will try to rescue them.” The Israelis only confirmed the ship was American at 4:12 p.m., nearly 45 minutes after the last attack, and after the ship appeared to be sinking.

Two flights of U.S. Navy fighters launched from the USS Saratoga and USS America to defend the Liberty were recalled by pro-Israel Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara while the ship was still under attack, despite repeated distress calls.

Despite the ship being heavily damaged—821 shell holes, a 39-foot-wide torpedo hole, and 34 crew members killed (31 Sailors, 2 Marines, 1 NSA civilian), 171 wounded, and 22 missing, many of whom were trapped in flooded compartments—the crew, under the command of Commander William L. McGonagle, managed to keep the ship afloat. McGonagle, who suffered a concussion and shrapnel wounds, remained in command throughout the ordeal.

The USS Liberty limped to Malta for temporary repairs, was later awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and Combat Action Ribbon, and McGonagle received the Medal of Honor in 1968.

The U.S. government accepted Israel’s claim that the attack was a “mistaken identity” of the Liberty as an Egyptian cargo ship, despite clear evidence—including the ship’s prominent American flag, hull number GTR-5, and clear visibility in daylight.

The U.S. Navy conducted a brief court of inquiry with only 14 crew interviews, and testimony critical of Israel was redacted. The U.S. government has never conducted a full, public, or impartial investigation, and officials have repeatedly echoed the Israeli narrative that the attack was a “mistake.”

Israeli government findings falsely concluded the attack was a tragic case of mistaken identity, with Israeli forces believing the Liberty was an Egyptian vessel. Israel apologized, offered $6.9 million in compensation which was rejected.

The attack remains one of the most controversial incidents in U.S.-Israel relations, with survivors and advocates still demanding a full, transparent investigation.

Survivors and critics like Jim Ennes Jr. and Admiral Thomas H. Moorer argue the attack was intentional and that the U.S. government suppressed the truth.

In 2005, the USS Liberty Veterans Association submitted a formal report accusing Israel of war crimes, which was dismissed by the U.S. military. Survivors continue to demand a Congressional hearing to expose the truth, alleging a decades-long cover-up driven by political and financial influence, including from pro-Israel lobby groups like AIPAC.

However, no comprehensive public investigation has ever been conducted, and Congress and the Pentagon have repeatedly used a scripted response that parrots Israel’s account, ignoring survivor testimony.

The attack remains one of the most controversial incidents in U.S.-Israel relations. The long-standing controversy surrounding it, has recently become a deeply polarizing issue within the MAGA movement and the American right in general.

Prominent pro-Israel figures like Jewish supremacist Ben Shapiro, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and Zionist writer Rich Lowry regurgitate the official narrative, while others critics like popular commentator Tucker Carlson use the incident to question Israel’s trustworthiness and U.S. foreign policy alignment.

The debate intensified after commentator Candace Owens’ viral 2024 podcast interview with survivor Phil Tourney, who argued there is a U.S.-Israel cover-up in the USS Liberty incident. “They didn’t just throw us under the bus. Israel and our own government put a knife in our spine,” he said.

The topic has become a litmus test at recent conservative events, with younger conservatives increasingly skeptical of unconditional U.S. support for Israel.