Special to L. Neil Smith’s The Libertarian Enterprise

”For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”
—Jeremiah 5:26-31

The screenplay “Enemies Within” by Clint Burnette opens in late October 1966 aboard the USS Liberty as a school of dolphins accompanies the ship on its journey. Two crewmen consider the wonders of the universe and share their views on God's creation.

Electronics intelligence gathering in the late 1960s was performed by vessels such as USS Liberty with a variety of gear and highly trained specialists. As the story unfolds, the ship is assigned to various places where it can gather information through its arrays of antennae and forward that intel up the chain of command. As the screenplay unfolds, the vessel itself, the USS Liberty, is a character of the dramatic events described in the film script.

Many people know the outline of the story. In 1967 the USS Liberty was on patrol in the eastern Mediterranean and was suddenly and violently attacked by aircraft and torpedo boats from Israel. Over the course of several hours, this unprovoked attack involved repeated deliberate targetting of the USA national flags flown by USS Liberty. Each time an American flag was shot off another flag was displayed. At no time was there any doubt that an American ship was being attacked with the intention of sending it to the bottom of the sea with all hands.

Why did Israel engage in this deadly and unprovoked attack? Why did Israeli ships target life boats in the sea? Why were these war crimes committed? And, given the dramatic events, as described in detail in this screenplay, what is the United States government ever going to do about it?

The story is told masterfully by Clint Burnette, a fellow of the World Literary Society who has written and ghost-written many screenplays and other literature. He is a very talented writer and this screenplay is a gripping read. It would make an excellent film.

Their Mission

“Enemies Within” explains the purpose of ships like the USS Liberty and gives ample opportunity for the reader to get to know several members of the ship's officers and crew. As the ship travels from Norfolk, Virginia to the scene of the battle, these locations are described beautifully.

One of the men we follow is Ronald Kukal, a petty officer assigned to USS Liberty. We learn that Ronald has had a premonition that the ship will meet with some difficulty at sea and come under attack. Nevertheless, he reports for duty and encounters petty officer Lowell Bingham who explains Ronald's duties involving supervising telemetry and high frequency communications. The secure area aboard ship has about 25 personnel who keep apart from the other crew in order to enhance mission security. Even the captain is not allowed to access the communications tech area.

As the ship leaves port, we meet Phillip Tourney who is assigned to the engine room. Phillip aspires to move on to the ship fitter shop where he can be involved in welding and repairs. We also meet Lt. Golden who informs Phillip that his reassignment has been approved. At this interview, we learn that Phillip aspires to learn damage control and firefighting. This conversation foreshadows the coming crisis.

We also meet USS Liberty's commanding officer, captain William McGonagle, and its executive officer Phillip Armstrong. It is late May 1967 and the officers discuss the unrest between the Arab nations and Israel. They also discuss the ship's equipment and personnel being met at the port of Rota.

During first part of June 1967, USS Liberty is off the coast of West Africa and is trailed by three Soviet destroyers who are monitoring it.  There is a scene in Russian with subtitles during which the Soviets discuss their understanding that USS Liberty is a reconnaissance vessel. As well, USS Liberty's officers discuss being followed by the Soviet vessels and conclude that they are being monitored but not threatened. Even so they undertake to drill the men and man the forward gun turrets. Later, the ship is moved to the eastern Mediterranean.

Also during this first part of the screenplay we meet Israeli minister of defence Moshe Dayan and other key members of Israel's military as they discuss their plans to attack airbases in Egypt. Flying below radar they intend to have dozens of squadrons rendezvous over eleven different targets within twenty minutes flying time.  This air battle is depicted in the screenplay.

Next, a number of unsettling events occur. Captain McGonagle requests a destroyer escort, noting that USS Liberty's weapons consist of four .50 calibre machine guns and small arms. The request is denied. Then a radio message is received indicating that the Israeli government has demanded that the ship change course or be attacked.

The Attack

At 0900 on 8 June 1967 an unmarked Dassault Mirage III interceptor shadows USS Liberty, then breaks off and heads toward the Sinai peninsula. At 1000 hours unmarked two delta-wing jets armed with rockets circle the ship three times with clear intent to intimidate. At 1045 hours a Nord 2501 Noratlas approaches the USS Liberty. The Israeli naval observer aboard identifies USS Liberty and his radio communication includes the ship's designation number.

We follow the discussion of this information in Tel Aviv. After having monitored USS Liberty for six hours, the order is given by defence minister Moshe Dayan to kill the vessel. The objective is for sensitive signals intelligence gathered by the ship to be safeguarded by sending Liberty and her crew to the bottom of the sea. The order is that there are to be no survivors. Rear Admiral Shlomo Erell agrees to send three motor torpedo vessels from Ashdod to intercept and attack with 30 mm cannon, armor piercing rockets, napalm, and white phosphorus.

The attack unfolds and we are provided with a detailed account. These are actual events as recounted by the survivors. The attack aircraft and the attacking torpedo vessels are correctly identified as Israeli.

There is a lot of brutality in combat, and the author does not shy away from describing the blood, the mutilated bodies, the damage to the ship, the bravery of the officers and crewmen. Rather than say more, I would simply urge you to buy the screenplay and read it. You owe it to yourself to know what happened. Those who gave their lives in these events, and the survivors, need this history to be known.

The Arrival of Help

As these events are historical and may be read about in history books, it is no spoiler to say that, although there was a lot of bloodshed, damage to the ship, wounds to the officers and crew, and many lives lost, the USS Liberty was not sunk. After hours of horror, American ships arrived.

During the fighting, a Soviet destroyer radioed the crew of USS Liberty and asked the captain if he would accept their help. During the fighting, the nearby USS Saratoga sends four Phantom jets toward the battle, but these are recalled on direct orders from the Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara. The orders are initially refused until confirmed by President Johnson.

A little later, Commander Ernest Castle, the US naval attache for the US ambassador to Israel flies over the USS Liberty in an Israeli flagged helicopter and drops a bag with an orange and a card asking if the ship has casualties, at a time when the decks are covered stem to stern with blood and body parts. Captain McGonagle orders the helicopter away.

A little later, a Russian ship signals by lamp in Morse code asking if the USS Liberty needs assistance. Captain McGonagle sends back word that their assistance is not needed. The Russians respond that they will be standing by if their help is needed.

We then watch as the Russian ship's captain discusses his analysis of the situation, that the sinking of the USS Liberty would, if it happened, be blamed on Egypt, giving Israel and the Johnson administration the excuse to consolidate Israeli gains from the war.

A further break from the action is a scene at the home of Judge Advocate General's attorney Lieutenant Commander Joanne Brodie at her home in Coronado, California. We meet her husband, a Navy commander, and her children. Her father arrives at the house. During this family gathering, LCdr Brodie is called to the phone to receive word from JAG that Ward Boston has requested her for the investigation into the attack on USS Liberty . The investigation is to take place before a naval board of inquiry in London.

Finally, at 0530 hours on 9 June 1967 USS Davis and USS Massey arrive to provide assistance to USS Liberty. With them is the USS Papago, a rescue, salvage, and towing ship for the U.S Sixth Fleet. Finally, rescue teams come aboard, and damage control proceeds. Wounded are transported to hospital and the ships make for port.

The Injustice

The story then follows the efforts of Brodie, Boston, and others to understand what happened, to interview sailors, and the direct opposition by senior officers in the navy, including Admiral John McCain, to these efforts. In these scenes it is made clear that any attempt to correctly establish the nature of the acts of war and of war crimes involved in the actions by Israel are to be covered up and the incident is to be swept under the rug.

The deliberate and premeditated attack by Israel on the USS Liberty killed 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two marines, and one civilian), wounded 171 crew members, and severely damaged the ship. In 1968 and 1969 the Israeli government admitted its role in this attack by paying millions of dollars to the USA government which were to go to compensate the victims. To this day, it is the official position of the United States government that Israel is a loyal ally.

At Home with Enemies

The screen play includes scenes detailing the ongoing situation, including a scene where John McCain is interrupted in 2012 at a campaign appearance, and refuses to respond to the expressed concerns of one of the survivors. Indeed, justice remains elusive.

In 2002, Captain Ward Boston, JAGC, U.S. Navy, senior counsel for the Court of Inquiry, said that the Court of Inquiry's findings were intended to cover up what was a deliberate attack by Israel on a ship that the Israelis knew to be American. Considerable evidence in support of these facts is available, though “boxes and boxes” of evidence have not been declassified.

A Continuing Search for Justice

Although the survivors of USS Liberty and many other Americans have sought a new investigation into these events, the defence department has refused. It seems clear that as long as the protection of Israeli government interests is dominant, no US government agency will provide a detailed account of the actual events, nor hold the Israeli government accountable for its war crimes during the Six Days War.

Many people see these facts as a betrayal of the brave men of USS Liberty.

“Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.”
—Jeremiah 35:17