Page:DoD USS Liberty Inquiry Press Release 28 Jun 1967.djvu/23

 13.

Q. Therefore, will you mark the back of the ,pictures for record purposes so that identification will be known? and I offer them in evidence as Exhibit 9.

A. Yes sir, I will mark them so that they, the scene or object depicted will be clearly indicated.

President: I'd like to, at this point ask the Captain -- did you not have wounded still lying about the deck at the time this helicopter was hovering over the ship?

A. Admiral, if you mean the helic0pter which the attache was in, I'm not sure that the wounded were still lying arOund the deck, as such. By that time, most of our wounded had been taken to the casualty collection stations. But there were pe0ple that were wounded. Whether they were evident to the Naval Attache from his position in the helic0pter I do not know. There were injured 0n deck, however.

Counsel for the Court: In amplification of the Admiral's questiOn, was there not a considerable amount of blood on the decks that would be obvious from a reasonable distance?

A. That is correct. There Were numerous blood streams the full length from the 01 level On the forecastle to the main deck, at machine gun mount 51, where one body was still lying. I do recall that now. As I recall now, there was also another body in the vicinity of mount 51. The seriously injured were cared for before those obviously bey0nd help; were taken care of and removed from the place where they were hit.

Counsel for the Court: You have in yOur custody, USS LIBERTY charts that were used 0n the day of 8 June 1967?

A. Yes sir, Ido.

Counsel for the C0urt: Will you please read the information relative to this court?

A. This is a chart of the Mediterranean Sea from Antalya Korfezi to Alexandria including Cyprus. It is further identified by Chart No. BC39Z4 November, second edition, September 30, 1963, revised 5--4-64. This chart shows points A, B, and C. These three points limit the southern Operating area in which LIBERTY intended to operate.

Captain Lauff: Do I understand those to be the southernmost limit of your operating area?

A. These points represent a point greater, a distance from the beach, greater than that specified. The lines between point A, B, and C were the intended track of LIBERTY during the foren00n and afternoon watch of 8 June 1967. The lattitude and longitude of these points are as follows: Point A ~- Rh