Page:DoD USS Liberty Inquiry Press Release 28 Jun 1967.djvu/27

 17.

, DUE NORTH UNTIL THE 1ØØ FATHOM CURVE WAS CROSSED.AND THE TRACK MOVED TO

THE NORTH To MORE OR LESS MOVE BACK AND FORTH.ON THE GENERAL AVERAGE OF THE 1ØØ FATHOM CURVE. NORMAL STEAMING SPEED WAS To BE FIVE KNOTS. NORMAL STEAMING COLORS WERE FLOWN AND NORMAL NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS LIGHTED AT NIGHT. THERE WAS No INTENTION TO STEAM AT DARKEN SHIP AT ANY TIME AND THE SHIP DID NOT EVEN EXERCISE AT DARKEN SHIP DRILL DURING THE DEPLOYMENT.

2. ALL TIMES BRAVO UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED ¢75u STEAMING ON 13¢T, SPD 1¢ KNOTS

¢8A9 PASSED THROUGH POINT ALPHA CHANGED CSE"TO 253T

¢85¢ SINGLE JET A/c (UNIDENTIFIED) CROSSED ASTERN DISTANCE 3 u 5 MILES -— CIRCULED SHIP FROM STBD To PORT AND RETURNED To UAR MAINLANT.

¢9¢5 DECREASED SPD To 5 KNOTS

1¢56 ANOTHER A/C CIRCLED SHIP-HIGH

1126 ANOTHER A/C CIRCLED SHIP

1132 PASSED THROUGH POINT BRAVO C/C TO 283T

131¢ EXERCISED AT G.Q. DRILL

13u8 SECURED FROM G.Q. DRILL. ‘ ' ‘ “

1351 3 SMALL SURFACE CONTACTS HELD ON RADAR 32,¢¢¢ YARDS BEARING ¢82T —- REPORTED TO BRIDGE AS 3 SURFACE CONTACT

1353 RADAR REPORTS POSSIBLE.A/C PASSING OVER SURRACE CONTACTS.

1358 SINGLE A/C SIGHTED APPROACHING SHIP FROM 135 DEG RELATIVE 5 - 6 MILES “ISTANCE, ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 7¢¢¢ FT.

/C PASSED DOWN TRACK 0F SHIP

1A¢3 LOUD EXPLOSION =- PORT SIDE AMIDSHIPS'

1A¢5 SOUNDED GENERAL ALARM -4 LARGE FIRE IN VICINITY OF FRAME 85,

¢1 LEVEL WHERE FUEL FOR MOTOR DRIVEN FIRE PUMPS ARE LOCATED.

1A¢5 ALL AHEAD FLANK SIGNALLED BY ENGINE ORDER TELEGRAPH.

1h¢5 ~ 1u1¢ SHIP UNDER REPEATED AIR ATTACK WITH TWO OR MORE A/c MAKING COORDINATED SERAFING, ROCKET, AND INCENDIARY RUNS OVER SHIP.‘ THREE MAJOR FIRES TOPSIDE COVERING LARGE AREAS OF SHIP WITH FLAMES AND HEAVY SMOKE A TOTAL OF EIGHT MEN WERE KILLED OR DIED AS A RESUIT OF INUURIES RECEIVED DURING THE AIR ATTACK, ONE KILLED AND ONE MORTALLY WOUNDED ON BRIDGE, TWO KILLED AT MACHINE GUN 51, ONE KILLED AT MACHINE GUN 52, ONE DIED FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED ON THE MAIN DECK STARBOARD SIDE AND.TWO DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED ON THE ¢1 LEVEL PORT SIDE. APPROXIMATELY SEVENTY FIVE WOUNDED, INCLUDING COMMANDING OFFICER, THROUGHOUT TOPSIDE AREA FROM SHRAPNEL AND SHOCK OF EXPLODING ROCKETS. .

11H¢BEGAN MAKING TURNS FOR 18 KNOTS. ” '.

1A2u 3 MTB'S SIGHTED ABAFT STARBOARD -- BEAM.DISTANCE A - 5 MILES

1A26 NOTICED NORMALSTREAMHNG ENSIGN SHOT AWAY DURING-AIR ATTACK HOLIDAY SIZE ENSIGN HOISTED ON PORT YARDARM. '

1A28 MTB SIGNAIEK}BY FLASHING LIGHT FROM STBD QUARTER. LIGHT OBSCURED BY DENSE SMOKE FROM BURNING MOTOR WHALEBOAT.

1A3¢ ONE ROUND FIRED BY MACHINE GUN 51. C.O. ORDERED HOLD FIRE.

1A31 MACHINE GUN 53 OPENED FIRE. c.o. SENT ENS LUCAS AROUND PORT SIDE

OF BRIDGE TO GET MACHINE GUN 53 TO CEASE FIRING”‘

1A31 WORD PASSED TO STANDBY FOR TORPEDO ATTACK To STARBOARD.

3B COMMENCED STRAFING STARBOARD SIDE OF SHIP

IA3A TORPEDO PASSED 75 YARDS ASTERN OF SHIP.

1u35 TORPEDO HIT STARBOARD SIDE AMIDSHIPS.

TWENTY SIX MEN DIED AS A RESULT OF THE TORPEDO HIT AND MTB STRAFING FIRE. Rh