Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), plans to address the USS Liberty on the House floor this week and has invited survivors of the 1967 attack to attend, bringing renewed attention to one of the most controversial incidents in U.S. naval history.
Massie announced the planned speech in a post on X ahead of the June 8 anniversary of the attack. Survivors of the USS Liberty have been invited to attend the remarks, which come as a federal court considers a lawsuit seeking the release of additional government records related to the incident. Members of Congress rarely address the USS Liberty on the House floor, making public discussion notable.
Massie has not publicly released the text of his planned remarks.
The USS Liberty, a Navy technical research ship, was operating in international waters in the eastern Mediterranean during the Six-Day War on June 8, 1967, when it came under attack by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats.
The assault killed 34 American service members and wounded 171 others, making it one of the deadliest attacks on a U.S. Navy vessel that did not occur during a declared war involving the United States.
Israel maintained that the attack was a case of mistaken identity, arguing that its forces incorrectly identified the Liberty as an Egyptian vessel. However, many survivors and some former military and intelligence officials have long disputed this, arguing that key questions remain unanswered.
Survivors Continue to Seek Answers
Nearly six decades after the attack, some survivors continue to push for additional government records and a fuller public accounting of the incident.
In an interview with Military.com earlier this year, USS Liberty survivor Mickey LeMay said many crew members remain frustrated by what they view as unanswered questions surrounding the attack and its aftermath.
“All we want is the truth,” LeMay told Military.com.
The USS Liberty Survivors Association and other advocates have argued that records related to the attack remain classified or unreleased despite the passage of nearly 60 years.
The renewed attention also comes as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals considers a Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, lawsuit seeking the release of records related to the attack.
The lawsuit was filed by Michelle Kinnucan, who argues that additional government documents concerning the USS Liberty should be released to the public. The case seeks records from federal agencies that plaintiffs believe could shed additional light on the events surrounding the attack and the government’s response.
A decision in the case remains pending.
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