configuration, as shown in the international standard naval identification
book, "Jane's Fighting Ships," and her standard markings, were clearly
sufficient for the aircraft to identify her properly as the non-combatant
ship LIBERTY. She was then steaming at 10 knots.
Jet and propeller aircraft circled the ship again at 10:56 and 11:26
a.m. At these times, the ship was steaming at only five knots.
At 11:32 the ship changed to a west-northwesterly course (283° true).
She was on this course and steaming at five knots when the attack began.
From 1:10 p.m., until 1:48 p.m., before the attack, LIBERTY'S
crew was exercised at general quarters. This was a routine procedure,
part of the ship's mandatory training program, established by the Com-
mander Service Force, Atlantic Fleet, and was not related to her mission
in the Eastern Mediterranean. Upon completion of the drill, the ship
returned to her "modified condition three." At 2:00 p.m., the ship's
Commanding Officer, Commander William L. McGonagle, Norfolk, Va.,
fixed her position by radar as being 25.5 nautical miles from the minaret
at El Arish, which was to the southeast (bearing 142° true).
In the Commanding Officer's words: "About 1400 (2 p.m.) the look-
outs, who were stationed on the 04 level (above the bridge), reported that
jet aircraft were sighted in the vicinity of the ship. At that time, I went to
the starboard wing of the bridge with my binoculars and there observed one
aircraft of similar characteristics, if not identical, to the aircraft which
were sighted earlier in the day and upon which a sighting report had been
submitted. The relative bearing of this plane was about 135°, its position
angle was about 45 to 50 degrees, its elevation approximately 7,000 feet,
and it was approximately five to six miles from the ship. It appeared to
be on a parallel course traveling in the same direction as the ship. While
I observed this aircraft, I did not see it approach the ship directly in a
hostile attitude. Within a couple of minutes, a loud explosion was heard
that appeared to me to come from the port side of the ship. (This apparently
was a rocket launched by a second aircraft.) I immediately ordered the
general alarm to be sounded, and this was done. I went from the starboard
wing of the bridge to the port wing to see the area of damage. I immediately
noticed that the two 55-gallon gasoline drums stowed on the 01 level (one
level above the main deck, two below the bridge), portside amidships, were
burning furiously.
"It was evident that it would not be possible to reach the quick release
lever by proceeding down the outside port ladders of the ship. I ordered
the Executive Officer (LCDR Philip M. Armstrong of Norfolk, Va., later
killed in action) to go to the starboard side of the ship and proceed down
