USS Liberty Remembered 42 Years Later

Alison Weir
June 8, 2009

Liberty memorial 6-8-09

Today, the 42nd anniversary of the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty, a memorial service was held at Arlington National Cemetery, sponsored by the White House Commission on Remembrance. (The commission grew out of the non-profit organization No Greater Love; its mission is to provide yearly programs to remember Americans killed in service or by acts of terrorism.)

About 8 Liberty survivors were in attendance and a few dozen friends, family, and supporters.

During the service, the names of the 34 fallen shipmates were read. After each name, a bell was rung at the grave site.

Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09

At 3pm, the survivors went to the Naval Heritage Center, which is located next to the Naval Memorial in Washington D.C. and presented a model of the USS Liberty to the Center, which will put it on public display. Rear Admiral Edward Walker graciously accepted the model and said that the Naval Heritage Center is extremely proud to honor the USS Liberty veterans in this way.

Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09

At 5pm several Liberty veterans and others went to the White House, where they hoped to give President Obama a USS Liberty hat and USS Liberty jacket with Barack Obama inscribed on the it.

They were not allowed onto the White House grounds and were told that people are not allowed to give presents directly to the president. They were given an address and told that they must mail them instead, which the survivors plan to do.

Some people handed out If Americans Knew cards about the Liberty to passersby and to White House staffers going in and out.

Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09
Liberty memorial 6-8-09

There was very little media coverage of these events. Two radio stations conducted extensive interviews – one from Portland, OR (KBOO) and the other from the Washington, DC area. There was one camera crew from Press TV.

The survivors and families say they will continue their efforts to obtain a full and open investigation into the attack.

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Multimedia

Video: USS Liberty Memorial - June 8, 2009

Interview with Captain Boston, the 1967 Chief Attorney in the Liberty Investigation

Documentary: Dead in the Water

Documentary: The Day Israel Attacked America

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Statement of Rear Admiral Merlin H. Staring, JAGC, USN (Ret.)

2007 USS Liberty Memorial Speech

More Articles on the USS Liberty

Additional Resources

Booklets, Flyers, & More on the USS Liberty

An Evidentiary Study of the USS Liberty Attack

Arlington National Cemetery: William Loren McGonagle

Q & A – Commonly Asked Questions about the Attack on the USS Liberty

Findings of the Independent Commission of Inquiry

Affidavit – Counsel to the U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry’s investigation

Book – Assault on the Liberty

Book – Body of Secrets : Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency

Documentary – Dead in the Water

Organizations

USS Liberty Memorial Website

Honor Liberty Veterans

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