Phil Tourney, past president of the USS Liberty Veterans Association is the author of a book
on his perception of what happened that tragic day of June 8, 1967.
His book "What I Saw That Day Israel's June 8, 1967 Holocaust of US Serviceman Aboard the USS Liberty and its Aftermath." tells the story from a survivor's viewpoint.
Phil believe that to understand why the world is going down in flames today and the interminable
bankrupting wars in the middle east need to know history before they can understand the present.
The first thing that needs explaining is Israel's 2 hour attack, a deliberate and prolonged attack,
against the American Naval ship USS Liberty.
Phil is proud to announce his very own radio show, he will interview people and personalities with
a unique and invaluable perspective pertaining to U.S. involvement in the dirty business of Isreal's
wars in the middle east and where it is all going for the land of the free and the brave.
Tourney says "The key to bringing liberty back to the people of America and to the world at large
is the USS Liberty story."
If you follow this link to Veterans Today USS Liberty Hits the Airwaves you will be able to hear
his first broadcast.
For every freedom believing American this is a must. The truth must be told about this senseless
and horrific attack on an American Navy Vessel that has never been fully explained. And there was
never any retaliation, the U.S. accepted the Israel claim that "it was a mistake", and they did not
know it was an American ship.
This blatant attack took the lives of 34 men and wounded 170 and severely damaged the ship. For this
gross and unjustified murder of American sailors Israel paid a grand total of $3,323,500 as full
payment to the families of the 34 men killed in the attack. In March of 1969 Israel paid $3,566,457
as compensation to those who were injured.
On December 18, 1980 Israel agreed to pay $6 million dollars as settlement of the U.S. claim of
$7,644,146 for damage to the USS Liberty itself.
On December 17, 1987 the issue was officially closed by both governments.
Is this fair? Is this just? Should we just forget what happened? NO, NEVER, the truth must be
told.
Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"
---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Thanks for your service Jerald. I am also one fo the survivors of the attack on the USS Liberty. I was the POIC of body recovery and identification. I did receive some compensation for my injuries that have stayed with me for the past forty some years. It worked out to about 500 dollars per year for severe PTSD and a back injury. My family was alienated from me by my former spouse who is a VA nurse. That is only part of the treatment our government has haneded out to us for being involved in this attack, that by the way was meant to put us to the bottom with all hands aboard. I still have the paper work from the State Deparment concerning my case. Never tell this story or testify of its truth to your church. If you do they will politely toss you out on your rear. I have learned that if I want to be a part of my church I must keep my mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteJerald one last comment that I forgot to mention. After returning home from the attack I was a complete mess suffering from the after shock and PTSD from the body recovery. My parents brought me up to believe strongly that to stand fast and tell the truth no matter what the consequences would eventually come out all right in the end. I would like the whole world to know that had I known how this country was going to change I never would have stood my ground. It's one thing to love ones country so much that you would even give up your own family to make sure your countrymen would be safe, but another to realize that your own government would like to have seen you dead and not survive. I know that now, and those actions to me are dispicable to say the least. To leave ones own countrymen to die and never look back has a bitter taste that never, no never goes away. May God bless this country, it needs it.
ReplyDeleteRon, Thank you for your service to our country. You
ReplyDeletecertainly deserve much more than the miserable amount that you received.
You are a hero, and your story; as well as everyone
aboard the USS Liberty must be told. The truth has
been hidden far too long.