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| USN Belmont-class Technical Research Ship As Built Victory Ship (VC2-S-AP3) 7,725 Tons 456' x 62' 23' As Built 1 x 5" 38 cal deck gun 8 x 20mm AA guns As USS Liberry 4 x .50 cal MG |
Ship History Built by Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon. Laid down February 23, 1945 as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP3) Victory Ship ship under under Maritime Commission contract as MCV hull 182. Launched April 6, 1945 as SS Simmons Victory named for Simmons College. Completed May 4, 1945 for the War Shipping Administration (WSA) and the next day chartered to the Pacific Far East Line (PFEL) as a fleet issue ship with a civilian crew plus a 17 man Navy detachment to operate the gun battery, communication detachment and deck crew. World War II Simmons Victory steamed for San Francisco and loaded with ammunition at Port Chicago then departed across the Pacific bound for the Philippines to support the upcoming plans for the invasion of Japan. On August 15, 1945 was in Leyte Gulf when the Pacific War ended. On October 6, 1945 departed Leyte Gulf via Eniwetok and while at sea, dumped ammunition overboard then proceeded to San Francisco arriving November 3, 1945. On December 9, 1945 departed via the Panama Canal for New York arriving December 25, 1945 and was demobilized with her armament removed. Afterwards, performed work for commercial charters, cargo carrier and was part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet twice berthed in the Hudson River. Korean War During the Korean War part of the military sea transportation service and between November 1950 to December 1952 made nine trips from the United States to the Far East transporting wartime cargo. On June 11, 1958 returned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet and berthed in Olympia, Washington until 1963. Postwar In February 1963, transferred to the U.S. Navy (USN) and converted by converted by Willamette Iron and Steel in Portland into a miscellaneous auxiliary ship. On June 8, 1963 renamed USS Liberty (AG-168). On April 1, 1964 reclassified as a Belmont-class Technical Research Ship (AGTR-5) with CDR. Daniel T. Wieland, Jr. in command at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington State. In February 1965 departed via Panama Canal to Norfolk and was outfitted at a cost of $20 million dollars to support the National Security Agency (NSA) with sensors and equipment to collect and process foreign communications and electronic communications related to national interest. Armed with four .50 caliber machine guns. During June 1965 departed on her first spy mission off the west coast of Africa followed by two more missions over the next two days. During 1967 deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. At the start of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War operated in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to collect electronic intelligence. USS Liberty incident On June 8, 1967 at 1:57pm a pair of Israeli Air Force (IAF) Mirage III jets "Kursa Flight" led by Captain Iftach Spector, were cleared to attack by chief air controller, Lieutenant-Colonel Shmuel Kislev. At 2:00pm the pair attacked firing rockets and strafed until they expended their ordnance and ammunition. Their attacks cut antennas and caused fires from fuel drums and knocked down the U.S. flag. Aboard, Commander McGonagle sent an urgent request for help to the Sixth Fleet, "Under attack by unidentified jet aircraft, require immediate assistance". Next, two Dassault Super Mystères of "Royal Flight" piloted by Captain Yossi Zuk and wingman Yaakov Hamermish were armed with napalm bombs arrived and bombed and strafed the ship. During their attacks they saw the bow marking "GTR-5" and broke off their attack and a cease fire order was given at 2:20pm. then motor torepdo boats. The ship sustained damage including a 39' x 24' torpedo hole amidships that damaged the keel. Aboard, 34 died and 171 wounded. Despite the damage, the ship was able to depart the area under her own power and met U.S. Navy warships including destroyers USS Davis and USS Massey plus crusier USS Little Rock. Medical personnel were transferred aboard and the damaged ship was escorted to Malta for repairs completed by July 1967 then returned to the United States. On June 28, 1968 decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register then placed into the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in Norfolk, Virginia. During December 1970 transfered to the Maritime Administration. Fate During 1973 sold to e Boston Metals Company of Baltimore, Maryland for scrap and afterwards broken up. Awards USS Liberty earned the Combat Action Ribbon and Presidential Unit Citation for June 8-9, 1967 Captain McGonagle, the Commanding Officer earned the Medal of Honor. Eleven crew earned the Silver Stars, twenty earn the Bronze Stars, and 200 received the Purple Heart. Memorials The unidentified remains of six of the crew killed on June 8, 1967 are buried in a group burial at Arlington National Cemetery. The U.S. flag "second Ensign" flown during the attack and plaque lists the names those killed is displayed at US National Cryptologic Museum. A plaque lists the names those killed is displayed at the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum in Haifa, Israel. References NavSource - USS Liberty (AGTR-5) National Securty Agency (NSA) Historical Releases - U.S.S. Liberty NSA Aftermath of sraeli Attack on US Liberry, 8 June 1967 [PDF] Arlington National Cemetery - Casualties of the USS Liberty Arlingotn National Cemetery Website - Personnel Killed on the USS Liberty (AGTR-5) June 8, 1967 (grave photo) YouTube - The Day Israel Attacked America (2014) Remembering USS Liberty: When Israel attacked America by Alan Fisher June 9, 2015 Contribute
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