From: jewell@MACE.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Larry Jewell)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: 'NamVet Newsletter, Vol.5, no.3 (5/6)
Date: 13 Sep 92 00:59:31 GMT
Reply-To: Viet Nam War Discussion List <VWAR-L@UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu>


     INDEMNITY COMPENSATION
     Dependency     and   Indemnity   Compensation   is   payable    to
     eligible   widows,  unmarried children under 18,   children 18-23,
     if  attending  approved  schools,  certain helpless  children  and
     dependent  parents,  for  a  veterans'    war-time  or  peace-time
     service-connected death after 1/1/57.  Annual income of parents is
     an  eligibility  factor.    The  widower of a female  veteran  may

     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 61
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     qualify  if  he is incapable of self maintenance and was,  at  the
     time  of her death,   permanently incapable of self-support due to
     physical or mental disability.

     INSURANCE
     Holders  of USGLI,   NSLI and VSLI policies can obtain information
     concerning conversion,  beneficiary changes,  loans and disability
     riders  from their local veterans counseling center.    Servicemen
     with  SGLI  may  convert to a permanent plan  120  days  following
     separation from service.

     LOANS
     For   eligible   veterans  and widows of World  War   II,   Korean
     (Conflict)   and Vietnam.    Conventional  home  loan guaranty may
     be authorized not to  exceed $27,500 or 60%  of the loan whichever
     is  less.    Repayment period of loan not to  exceed  30 years and
     32  days.    50%   mobile  home loan guaranty   available  without
     reduction  of  entitlement  to purchase  conventional  constructed
     homes.   Loan   may   not   exceed $27,500 for  mobile  home  with
     suitably  developed  lot.  Repayment period not to exceed 20 years
     and 32 days.

     REEMPLOYMENT
     Application to former employer for restoration to former position,
     other  than  temporary,    should   be   made   within   90   days
     following    separation.      Job  reinstatement   is   for   like
     seniority,   status  and   pay.    Reservists  after initial  duty
     training must apply for reinstatement within 31 days.

     REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION
     Exemption   from real property taxes is based on both condition of
     service  and  degree of disability.    Applications must be  filed
     with local assessor before Taxable Status Day.

     REVIEW OF DISCHARGE
     Boards   of  Review  have  authority to correct and  upgrade  most
     discharges according to facts presented.

     VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
     Entitlement   to vocational rehabilitation available up to  twelve
     years after date of separation.

     ABSENTEE VOTING
     Apply   to   local   board  of elections for   absentee   military
     ballot   before  designated  deadline each  year  -  generally  in
     October.

     AUTOMOBILE
     FEDERAL:    Up  to  $3,800  is payable toward automobile or  other
     conveyance purchased by certain seriously disabled veterans.

     STATE:   Auto registration,   Thruway  permits and public campsite
     and    park   permits   furnished   free   to  certain   qualified
     seriously  disabled  veterans receiving VA auto grants.

     BLINDNESS
     FEDERAL:      Veterans     in   receipt   of   compensation    for
     service-connected  disability and blind in both eyes or who are in
     receipt of aid and attendance may  qualify.    Blindness  need not

     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 62
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     be   service-connected.     Seeing  Eye   Dogs,   electronic   and
     mechanical aids available.

     STATE:    Annuity   for   blind  veterans,   $500 annuity to   NYS
     residents  who qualify.   After veterans'  death,  annuity goes to
     widow, if eligible.

     BONUS
     Eligibility  for NYS World War II Veterans Bonus terminated  March
     31,   1965  by State  Legislature.    No  application accepted now
     unless veteran  can  prove inability to file prior to deadline was
     due to physical or mental incapacity.

     OTHER  STATES:    Some states pay former residents varying amounts
     for wartime military service.

     BURIAL
     FEDERAL:    Financial   assistance   for burial and  plot  expense
     available    for  eligible   veterans.     Burial   in    National
     Cemeteries available  to  deceased veterans  and  close relatives.
     Claim  must be filed within two years  after permanent  interment.
     Headstones  or  grave markers and burial  flags  also provided.

     STATE:   Payment up to $950 toward burial of indigent NYS veterans
     and certain family members;  $200 toward headstones.

     WHEELCHAIR HOMES
     Certain   seriously  disabled or blinded veterans may be  eligible
     for  a   grant  for  building or remodeling home adapted  to  meet
     veterans'   wheelchair  needs.   Grant  equal  to 50%   of cost of
     home and necessary land up to a  maximum  of $32,000.

     For  complete information and counseling on all veterans benefits,
     visit  your  New York State Division of  Veterans'  Affairs  local
     counseling centers located at: (see selection   at the end of this
     article)

     WHERE AND WHEN MAY A VETERAN RECEIVE COUNSELING?
       A veteran and his  family  may receive counseling at any  one of
     the Division's conveniently located offices  throughout the State.
     Exact locations are listed at the end of this document.  Telephone
     numbers are listed in most telephone directories under  "New  York
     State - Veterans' Affairs, Division of."
       All offices of the Division of Veterans Affairs are usually open
     Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.    In the few
     areas served by itinerant counselors, the local office may be open
     during  these  hours  one or two  days a week.   In special cases,
     counselors make arrangements to visit the veteran or his family at
     his home, hospital, or other convenient place.


     NEW YORK STATE COUNSELING CENTERS

                        ALBANY - 855 Central Avenue
                                Albany, NY

                       ALLEGANY - Municipal Building
                           156 North Main Street
                              Wellsville, NY

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                       BRONX - 2488 Grand Concourse
                                 Bronx, NY
                             511 E. 233 Street
                                 Bronx, NY

                      BROOME - County Office Building
                               Hawley Street
                              Binghamton, NY

                   CATTARAUGUS - 265 North Union Street
                                 Olean, NY

                          CAYUGA - Carr Building
                          188 West Genesee Street
                                Auburn, NY

                   CHAUTAUQUA - Clothier Office Building
                                Room B-02E
                               Mayville, NY

                   CHEMUNG - 180 Clemens Center Parkway
                                Elmira, NY

                     CHENANGO - 20 South Broad Street
                                Norwich, NY

                    CLINTON - County Government Center
                                 Room 231
                            137 Margaret Street
                              Plattsburgh, NY

                       COLUMBIA - 454 Warren Street
                             Hudson, New York

                          CORTLAND - Court House
                               Cortland, NY

                          DELAWARE - Civic Center
                                Sidney, NY

                     DUTCHESS - County Office Building
                             22 Market Street
                             Poughkeepsie, NY

                     ERIE -     State Office Building
                              125 Main Street
                                Buffalo, NY

                        Amherst Municipal Building
                             5583 Main Street
                             Williamsville, NY

                   FRANKLIN - Veterans Counseling Center
                                 Town Hall
                             Saranac Lake, NY

                      FULTON - 64 East Fulton Street
                             Gloversville, NY

     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 64
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                       GENESEE - County Building #2
                                Batavia, NY

                           HAMILTON - Long Lake

                HERKIMER - Herkimer County Office Building
                           Mary Street - Box 307
                               Herkimer, NY

                     JEFFERSON - State Office Building
                     317 Washington Street - 3rd Floor
                               Watertown, NY

                       KINGS - War Memorial Building
                       Cadman Plaza at Orange Street
                               Brooklyn, NY

                            LEWIS - Court House
                               Lowville, NY

                   LIVINGSTON - Livingston County Campus
                                Building #2
                             Mount Morris, NY

                            MADISON - City Hall
                                Oneida, NY

                   MONROE - Terminal Building - Room 300
                           65 West Broad Street
                               Rochester, NY

                          MONTGOMERY - NYS Armory
                             49 Florida Avenue
                               Amsterdam, NY

                       NASSAU - 320 Old Country Road
                              Garden City, NY

                                 City Hall
                              Long Beach, NY

                            977 Hicksville Road
                              Massapequa, NY

                        NEW YORK - 80 Centre Street
                               New York, NY

                              252 7th Avenue
                               New York, NY

                     State Office Building, 4th Floor
                           163 West 125th Street
                               New York, NY

                           NIAGARA - NYS Armory
                              901 Main Street
                             Niagara Falls, NY


     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 65
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                  ONEIDA - Oneida County Office Building
                              800 Park Avenue
                                 Utica, NY

                     ONONDAGA - State Office Building
                        333 East Washington Street
                               Syracuse, NY

                      ONTARIO - 120 North Main Street
                              Canandaigua, NY

                           ORANGE - 361 Broadway
                               Newburgh, NY

                       ORLEANS - 14016 Route 31 West
                                Albion, NY

                      OSWEGO - County Office Complex
                             70 Bunner Street
                                Oneonta, NY

                     PUTNAM - 179 East Lake Boulevard
                                Mahopac, NY

                       QUEENS - 1600 Central Avenue
                             Far Rockaway, NY

                            Lost Battalion Hall
                          93-29 Queens Boulevard
                               Rego Park, NY

                    RENSSELAER - County Office Building
                              1600 7th Avenue
                                 Troy, NY

                 RICHMOND - Boro Hall Building - Room 313
                             Staten Island, NY

                      ROCKLAND - 39 South Main Street
                             Spring Valley, NY

                      ST. LAWRENCE - 201 State Street
                              Ogdensburgh, NY

                        SARATOGA - Arcade Building
                               376 Broadway
                           Saratoga Springs, NY

                   SCHENECTADY - County Office Building
                             620 State Street
                              Schenectady, NY

                     SCHOHARIE - Professional Building
                              254 Main Street
                               Schoharie, NY

                      SCHUYLER - 909 Franklin Street
                             Watkins Glen, NY


     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 66
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                      SENECA - County Office Building
                               Waterloo, NY

                          STEUBEN - City Building
                               108 Broadway
                                Hornell, NY

                      SUFFOLK - Suffolk County Center
                               Riverhead, NY

                     State Office Building, 3rd Floor
                             Veterans Highway
                               Hauppauge, NY

                    SULLIVAN - County Government Center
                              Monticello, NY

                          TIOGA - 56 Main Street
                                Oswego, NY

                          TOMPKINS - Terrace Hill
                             304 Babcock Hall
                                Ithaca, NY

                  ULSTER - Box 1800 - 300 Flatbush Avenue
                               Kingston, NY

                  WARREN - County Municipal Center Annex
                              Lake George, NY

                    WASHINGTON - County Annex Building
                             Hudson Falls, NY

                      WAYNE - County Office Building
                              9 Pearl Street
                                 Lyons, NY

                          WESTCHESTER - City Hall
                             505 North Avenue
                             New Rochelle, NY

                     County Office Building - Room 103
                             White Plains, NY

                     Health Center Building - Room 314
                            87 Nepperhan Avenue
                                Yonkers, NY

                           750 Washington Street
                               Peekskill, NY

                      WYOMING - 422 North Main Street
                                Warsaw, NY

                         YATES - 105 Court Street
                               Penn Yan, NY



     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 67
^L     Volume  5, Number  3                               March 14, 1991



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                            " Bring them home --- NOW !!! "












     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 68
^L     Volume  5, Number  3                               March 14, 1991

                         COMMON REENLISTMENT CODES
                          Input by G. Joseph Peck
                         NamVet's Managing Editor
                        VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA
                              (413) 443-6313

     ARMY RE CODES
     RE-1     Fully qualified for immediate reenlistment
     RE-1A    Fully qualified for immediate reenlistment; ineligible to
              reenlist for 93 days after date of separation
     RE-2     Fully qualified for immediate reenlistment;  separated
              for convenience of the government under a separation
              which does not contemplate immediate reenlistment (see AR
              632-200 Chapter 5,6,8,9,11 and 12)
     RE-3     Not eligible for reenlistment unless a waiver is granted
     RE-3A    Not eligible for reenlistment unless a waiver is granted.
              Waiver, if approved, is valid only for the purpose of
              providing continuous, unbroken service for RA in-service
              personnel
     RE-3B    Not eligible for reenlistment unless a waiver is granted.
              Applicable to EM who have lost time during their last
              period of service
     RE-3C    Not eligible for reenlistment unless a waiver is granted.
              Applicable to persons who have completed over 8 months
              service who do not meet the prior grade and service
              criterion of the Qualitative Management Program (see AR
              600-200 Chapter 4)
     RE-4     Not eligible for reenlistment.  Disqualification is
              nonwaivable
     RE-4A    Not eligible for reenlistment.  Applicable to EM who fail
              to meet citizenship requirements

     NAVY AND MARINE RE CODES

     RE-1     Recommended for reenlistment
     RE-2     Recommended for reenlistment but ineligible because of
              status:
              Fleet Reservist Retired (except for transfer to TDRL),
              Commissioned Officer, Warrant Officer, Midshipman, Cadet
     RE-3     Recommended for reenlistment except for disqualifying
              factor
     RE-3A    Alien
     RE-3B    Parenthood
     RE-3B    Pregnancy
     RE-3C    Conscientious Objector
     RE-3D    Demonstrated dependency or hardship not meeting criteria
              specified in Bupersman article C-10308
     RE-3E    Erroneous induction
     RE-3F    Erroneous enlistment
     RE-3G    Condition (not physical disability) interfering with
              performance of duty
     RE-3H    Hardship
     RE-3K    Disenrolled from Naval Academy, not considered qualified
              for enlisted status
     RE-3M    Marriage
     RE-3N    Importance to national health, safety or interest
     RE-3P    Physical disability (includes discharge and transfer to
              TDRL)
     RE-3P    Obesity

     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 69
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     RE-3P    Motion sickness
     RE-3P    Disqualified for officer candidate training
     RE-3S    Sole surviving son
     RE-3T    Overweight
     RE-3U    Minority
     RE-4     Not recommended for reenlistment

     AIR FORCE RE CODES
     The following are codes recommended for reenlistment:  RE-1; RE-
     12; RE-13; RE-14; RE-3/93.  All other codes are ineligible.

















































     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 70
^L     Volume  5, Number  3                               March 14, 1991



     =================================================================
                              U.S.S. Liberty
     =================================================================

                     Analysis of ATTACK ON THE LIBERTY
                 Broadcast in the UK by THAMES TELEVISION
               Broadcast in the US by The DISCOVERY Channel
                     Rex Bloomstein, Producer/Director
                         By Joe Meadors, Chairman
                     USS Liberty Veterans Association
                              3 Burns Avenue
                        Hicksville, New York  11801
                      SeaBat BBS - Corpus Christi, TX
                              (512) 387-6638

     PARTICIPANTS
     USS Liberty Survivors interviewed:
     1. Lloyd Painter (Officer of the Deck during the attack)
     2. James M. Ennes, Jr. (Officer of the Deck morning of 8 June
         1967)
     3. George Golden (Engineering Officer)
     4. Phil Tourney (Petty Officer)
     5. Dr. Richard Kiepfer (Medical Officer)
     6. Stan White (Senior Chief Petty Officer)
     7. Joseph Lentini (Petty Officer)
     8. John Hrankowski (Petty Officer)
     9. Wayne Smith (Chief Petty Officer)
     10. John Scott (Damage Control Officer)

     Israeli personnel interviewed:
     1. Unidentified Former Flight Engineer (Israeli Air Force)
     2. Pinchas Pincasy (Former Naval Liaison Officer with Israeli Air
         Force)
     3. Avraham Lunz (Former Duty Officer Naval HQ, Haifa)
     4. Issy Rahav (Former Israeli Chief of Naval Operations)
     5. Moshe Oren (Former Commander of Torpedo Boat Flotilla)
     6. General Yeshayahu Bareket (Former Head of Israeli Air Force
         Intelligence)
     7. Ahron Yifrach (Former Torpedo Boat Communications Officer)
     8. Colonel Shmuel Kislev (Former Head of Israeli Air Force
         Operations)
     9. Admiral Schlomo Erel (Former Head of Israeli Navy)

     ANALYSIS
     1. The Israelis repeatedly asserted that there was no flag flying
        on the USS Liberty.

     The anonymous "Former Flight Engineer" stated there was "no flag
     on the ship."

     General Yeshayahu Bareket, Former Head of Israeli Air Force
     Intelligence, stated, "There was no flag on the ship.  The
     question was asked and repeated and repeated again and again.  Are
     you sure you can't see any flag are you sure you can't see any
     kind of identification.  And all the words came back - no."

     Chief Petty Officer Melvin Smith was the USS Liberty's leading
     enlisted cryptologist.  Chief Smith, and the radio intercept
     operators under his command, overheard the Israeli pilots

     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 71
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     reporting back to their base that were flying an American flag.

     2.  NARRATOR: "Here in Tel Aviv the Air Force, which apparently
     had not been told that the Liberty had been recognized, was
     becoming concerned about reports from its won pilots of an
     unidentified spy ship."

     The Report of the Israeli 1967 Preliminary Inquiry (the Yerushalmi
     Report 1/67 dated July 21, 1967) states:
      "At 1055 hours the Naval Liaison Officer AT AIR FORCE H.Q.
       reported to the Navy H.Q. that the ship about which he had
       reported earlier in the morning was an electromagnetic audio-
       surveillance ship of the U.S. Navy, named Liberty, whose marking
       was GTR-5.  At the same time the Acting Chief of Naval
       Operations was present at Navy H.Q."  (emphasis added)

     According to the documentary, the Air Force had not been notified
     that the Liberty had been recognized, while the Report of the
     Israeli inquiry states that it is the Air Force who reported the
     identification of the Liberty to the Navy.

     3.  General Yeshayahu Bareket was emphatic that he contacted the
     American Embassy before the attack to find out if there were any
     US Navy ships in the area.

     At the time this claim was first made (immediately after the
     attack) it caused great consternation in the US State Department
     and was the subject of several messages including AMEMB Tel Aviv
     serial 4178 JUN 67, USDAO Tel Aviv 161945Z JUN 67, and AMEMB Tel
     Aviv 162000Z which said flatly: "No request for info on U.S. ships
     operating off Sinai was made until after Liberty incident.  Had
     Israelis made such an inquiry, it would have been forwarded
     immediately to the Chief of Naval Operations and other high naval
     commands and repeated to the Department (of State.)"

     4.  Avraham Lunz (Former Duty Officer Naval HQ, Haifa):  "I got on
     duty in the morning abut 8:00.  The situation was very calm.  I
     had some old information.  One of them was about an AGI,
     Intelligence Gathering Ship, American Type, in the southern part
     of the area.  The information was quite old.  It was dated 6 hours
     this morning.  At around 11:00, checking the situation and knowing
     that no ship would stay on its place, and five hours old
     information was quite old, we took it off without knowing where it
     went."

     Admiral Shlomo Erel (Former Head of Israeli Navy):  "The
     description of the Liberty sailing innocently in broad daylight is
     all so very picturesque but this wasn't the case.  This was the
     heart of fighting, with aircraft flying overhead all the time in
     the heart of a war area."

     Admiral Erel would have you believe that aircraft were flying all
     over the place, yet NONE of them reported seeing the Liberty
     between the hours of 6:00 and 11:00.

     5.  Issy Rahav (Former Israeli Chief of Naval Operations) ordered
     the dispatch of three Motor Torpedo Boars from Ashdod "at about
     1200."  He ordered them to "sail and see whether they can see
     anything in the area."

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     Moshe Oren (Former Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla)
     stated that "we were actually ordered to find this ship that is
     bombarding the shore, our forces, and destroy it.  That was the
     order."

     The Yerushalmi Report:  "At 1205 hours an order was given to three
     torpedo boats of the division at Ashdod to proceed in the
     direction of El Arish.  Reports about the shelling continued to
     reach G.H.Q./Operations, and pressure was exerted on the naval
     representative, on the lines that 'the coast has been shelled for
     hours, and you - the Navy - are not reacting.'  The Naval
     representative contacted Navy H.Q. and proposed an immediate
     action. He was informed that torpedo boats had been sent to the
     spot to locate the target, and it had also been agreed with the
     Naval representative at Air Force H.Q. that as soon as the torpedo
     boats locate the target, aircraft would be dispatched."

     In 1982, the Israeli Defense Forces History Department Research
     and Instruction Branch issued a report on the USS Liberty
     incident.  (The Preface to this Report states, "Recently, with the
     publication of the book, ASSAULT ON THE LIBERTY, the American
     Congress appointed a committee, headed by Adlai Stevenson, for the
     purpose of investigating the affair and publishing the results of
     the investigation. Immediately upon learning of the appointment of
     the committee, it was decided that the History Department would
     research the affair and submit the official version of the State
     of Israel."  Stevenson's committee was disbanded after Israel
     agreed to pay the US financial claims for the destruction of the
     USS Liberty.)  On page 10 of that report, it states:
       "Division 914 ('Pagoda" on the radio code), under the command of
        Commander Moshe Oren, consisted at that time of three torpedo
        boats - T203, T204 and T206; the flagship was T204, with the
        Division commander aboard.  THE DIVISION HAD LEFT ASHDOD PORT
        AT 1120 HOURS, with the task of patrolling between Ashdod and
        Ashkelon."  (emphasis added)
     Elsewhere,
       "Division 914 continued on her way to El-Arish and after an
        hour's sailing (at 1317 hours) she was informed (by Naval
        Operations/3) of the shelling from the sea, of El-Arish."

     6.  Ahron Yifrach (Former Torpedo Boat Communications Officer)
     located the Liberty on radar at a range of 22 miles "about an hour
     later" (this would be about 1300 hours) and plotted the contact
     travelling at 30 knots.  He stated the contact "was running away
     west at high speed, we cannot achieve it, our high speed was
     slower, and we asked for support of aircraft."

     The Yerushalmi Report:
       "According to the division log-book, a target was located at
     1341 hours situated at a distance of about 20 miles north of El-
     Arish."

     Not 1300 hours as stated by Yifrach
     The Israeli Defense Forces History Department Report:
       "At 1341 hours, the Division detected the target on its radar -
        20 miles northwest of El-Arish and 14 miles off the coast of
        Bardawil. The officer at the CIC on the flagship, Ensign
        Yifrach Aharon (sic), reported that the target had been

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        detected at a range of 22 miles, that the target had been
        tracked for a few minutes, after which he had determined that
        the target was moving westward at a speed of 30 knots."

     The torpedo boats were sent from Ashdod at 1200 hours.  "About an
     hour later" they had the Liberty on radar at a distance of 22
     miles travelling at 30 knots "in a westerly direction" which,
     according to Yifrach, was faster than the fastest speed the
     torpedo boats could attain.  At this time the Liberty was 77 miles
     from Ashdod which meant that in order to have the ship on radar
     from 22 miles away, the torpedo boats (with a maximum speed of
     less than 30 knots) would have to travel the 55 miles in one hour.
     This is impossible.

     Radar is line of sight.  As a result, the maximum range of the
     Torpedo Boat's radar is 12-15 miles.  They did not come close
     enough to detect the Liberty on radar until 1400 hours, and by
     that time the attack was already underway.

     7.  Ahron Yifrach:  "I reported to headquarters in Haifa that we
     found the target, it's running away west at very high speed, we
     cannot achieve it, our high speed was slower, and we asked for
     support of aircraft."

     The Yerushalmi Report:
       "(The Naval representative) was informed that torpedo boats had
        been sent to the spot to locate the target, and it had also
        been agreed with the Naval representative at Air Force H.Q.
        that as soon as the torpedo boats locate the target, aircraft
        would be dispatched."

     The Israeli Defense Forces History Department Report:
       "The Division Commander (Moshe Oren) was told to listen to the
        air-sea-liaison radio channel (86 and 186) and that IAF planes
        would be dispatched to the area after the target had been
        detected by the Division."

     Aharon Yifrach asserts that the aircraft were dispatched because
     the torpedo boats reported that the contact was travelling at 30
     knots and the boats were not capable of achieving that speed.  The
     two other reports contradict this.

     8.  Colonel Shmuel Kislev states the pilots were told there was
     only one ship in the area and, if they determined that the ship
     was "the warship that had been shelling the shore of El Arish,"
     they were permitted to attack.  During one of the strafing runs
     one of the pilots reported that there was no flag flying.  After
     that report, the aircraft were ordered to halt the attack.

     The Yerushalmi Report:
       "The aircraft carried out a run over the ship in an attempt to
        identify it.  According to their statements, they were looking
        for a flag but found none;  likewise no other identification
        mark was observed.  As against this, it was established that
        the painting of the ship was grey (the color of a warship), and
        two guns were situated in the bow.  This was reported to H.Q.
         On the assumption that they were facing an enemy target an
        order was given to the aircraft to attack."


     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 74
^L     Volume  5, Number  3                               March 14, 1991

     Note that the Yerushalmi Report states that the pilots were
     ordered to attack AFTER they indicated they saw no flag flying,
     but the pilots did not report seeing no flag until the last
     strafing run.

     The Israeli Defense Forces History Department Report:
       "The two 'Mirage' aircraft reached the ship at approximately
        1400 hours.  The formation leader, Captain Spector, descended
        to a height of 3,000 feet and circled the vessel twice; his
        number two executed one identification run.  These runs
        revealed to the pilots that the ship was not an Israeli vessel
        since she did not have the identifying markings (a white cross
        on a red background).  The ship was colored battleship grey,
        had a foremast, one smokestack and two guns on her bow.  No
        flag or other identifying sign was discerned.  The formation
        leader reported this to the torpedo boats and Control then the
        aircraft received permission to attack."
     Elsewhere,
       "The lack of response from the ship raised suspicions in the
        mind of the formation leader and he decided to descend for an
        identification run.  In this first run he discerned letters on
        the ship's bow but did not succeed in reading them clearly
        although the markings looked like p-30.  In order to be sure
        the pilot descended for a second, slower identification run at
        a height of 30 meters and then he was able to discern the
        letters CTR-5 ('Charley,' 'Tango,' Romeo') and reported this to
        control.  Although he searched for a flag or other
        identification marking, he detected nothing."

     Note that in the documentary, the pilot reported seeing CTR-5
     during the last strafing attack (even going to the extreme of
     providing "transcripts" of the pilot's conversation).  This is
     contradicted by the Israeli Defense Forces History Department
     Report which states that the pilot reported seeing CTR-5 when he
     made two special identification runs over the ship.

     9.  The pilot's conversation conversation was "recreated from
         transcripts."

     Why was the conversation of the pilots recreated from the
     transcripts instead of using the tapes themselves?

     10. Two Torpedo Boat commanders, simultaneously and independently,
         identified the Liberty as the El Quseir.

     In a September 21, 1967 memo from Carl F. Salans, The Legal
     Advisor in the United States Department of State, to the
     Undersecretary of State, Mr. Salans writes:

       "The Clifford report noted 'That the Liberty could have been
        mistaken for the Egyptian supply ship El-Quseir is
        unbelievable.  El-Quseir has one-fourth the displacement of the
        Liberty, roughly one-half the beam, is 180 feet shorter, and is
        very differently configured.  The Liberty's unusual antenna
        array and hull markings should have been visible to low-flying
        aircraft and torpedo boats....Trained Israeli naval personnel
        should have been able easily to see and identify the larger
        hull markings on the Liberty'


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^L     Volume  5, Number  3                               March 14, 1991

     "The Israeli report states that the initial speed of the target
     reported by the torpedo boat commander at 1341 hours as 30 knots
     was verified within minutes and confirmed as a speed of 28 knots.
     The report notes that it was the speed of the target which led to
     the final conclusion that there was no reason for surmising that
     the target could possibly be the Liberty.

     "The reported speed would have ruled out the 'El Kasir' as the
     target, as well as the Liberty, since the top speed of the Kasir,
     published in Janes Fighting Ships, is in the range of 14 knots.
     The Liberty's top speed is 18 knots."

     11. Commander Ernest Castle, US Military Attache in Tel Aviv at
     the time of the attack states that if the Israelis really wanted
     to sink the Liberty they would have attacked at night and, since
     they recently wiped out the Egyptian military with such ease, they
     would have no problems sinking the ship.

     Would the Israelis have waited until night to attack the Liberty?
     Would the Israelis have waited until the Liberty had spent the
     entire afternoon spying on them?

     Instead of waiting for night, wouldn't they have jammed her
     radios?

     They did.

     Instead of waiting for night, wouldn't they have sent in fast
     attack jets to destroy her antennas and wipe out her defensive
     capabilities?

     They did.

     Instead of waiting for night, wouldn't they have brought in
     torpedo boats to sink the ship?

     They did.

     Instead of waiting for night, wouldn't they have those torpedo
     boats machine gun the Liberty's life rafts to ensure there were no
     survivors?

     They did.

     SUMMARY
     According to the 1982 Israeli Defense Force History Department
     Report, "such an incident must be thoroughly investigated, that
     all the causes of the tragic encounter must be examined,
     conclusions drawn, and proper instructions issued which will
     prevent the occurrence of such an incident in the future."

     The questions raised by the documentary add support to this
     argument. A complete and comprehensive investigation of the USS
     Liberty incident is long overdue.





     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 76
^L     Volume  5, Number  3                               March 14, 1991



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                            February 26, 1991         201-696-2077

     Mr. XXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXX
     XXXXXX XXXXXX
     XXXXXXX, New Jersey  070XX

     Dear Mr. XXXXXXXX:

       Just a note to advise that I have had an opportunity to
     thoroughly review your file and I must say that you certainly have
     NOT been treated very well by the Veterans Administration.

       In an effort to be of further assistance to you I have, again,
     contacted Mr. Baglio, Director of the Veterans Administration
     Medical Center in East Orange bringing to his attention that their
     (sic) were several positions that you were qualified to fill and
     that you were passed over as a disabled Vietnam Veteran and have
     asked him to look into this matter.

       In further checking with the Veterans Administration regarding
     the Veterans Readjustment Appointment Program we were advised that