On June 8 1967, the USS LIBERTY (AGTR-5) was attacked in international water by Israeli forces killing 34 Americans and wounding another 171. Seven out of every 10 crew members was either killed or injured. Listed below is the USS Liberty’s entire roster.
† Killed in action
* Wounded in action
OFFICERS
† LCDR Philip McCutcheon Armstrong, Jr., USN
* LT Maurice Hogue Bennett, USN
* LT James Marquis Ennes, Jr., USNR
* LT George Houston Golden, USN (plank owner)
* LT Richard Francis Kiepfer, Medical Corps, USNR
* LCDR David Edwin Lewis, USN
* ENS David George Lucas, USNR
* CDR William Loren McGonagle, USN
* LT James George O’Connor, USNR
ENS Malcolm Patrick O’Malley, USNR
* LTJG Lloyd Clyde Painter, USNR
† LT James Cecil Pierce, USN
ENS John Deaderick Scott, USNR
* ENS Richard Patten Taylor, Jr., USNR
† LT Stephen Spencer Toth, USN
* LTJG Malcolm McEachin Watson, USNR
CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS
Chief Joseph A. Benkert
* Chief Richard J. Brooks
* Chief Carlyle F. Lamkin
† Chief Raymond E. Linn
* Chief James A. Matthews
† Chief Melvin D. Smith
Chief Wayne L. Smith
* Chief Harold J. Thompson
Senior Chief Stanley W. White
PETTY OFFICERS
* Reginald N. Addington
Americo F. Aimetti
† William B. Allenbaugh
* Timothy P. Ameen
James M. Anderson, Jr.
* Joe D. Anderson
Alvis L. Armstrong
* Richard K. Baker
Rogelio M. Bagan (plank owner)
Gary L. Barton (plank owner)
* Lowell T. Bingham
* Glenn L. Bloxham
* Salvatore Boccella
* John E. Booth
* Larry L. Bowen
Thomas E. Bradley
* James Victor Brong
† Francis Brown (plank owner)
* Frank J. Brown (plank owner)
* Virgil L. Brownfield
* Gary Wayne Brummett
* Ronald D. Buck
Charles E. Byrd
John J. Calligan
† Ronnie J. Campbell
* Richard C. Carlson
* David N. Carnahan
* Jeffery R. Carpenter
Joseph P. Carpenter
* Calvin L. Chadsey
* Fred M. Cleveland
Charles J. Cocnavitch
† Jerry L. Converse
James E. Cotten
Juan A. Craig
* Russell O. David, Jr.
* James Ray Davidson
Duilio Demori
* Marvin F. Dodd
* Henry E. Durzewski, Jr.
* Robert M. Dye (plank owner)
* Lewis D. Eckhart
* Dennis M. Eikleberry
† Robert B. Eisenberg
Eddie G. Elder
John W. Fisher
Everrett L. Freese
Ernest A. Gallo
* Kenneth R. Gauthier
* Ronald D. Gilson (plank owner)
Larry D. Goins
† Jerry L. Goss
† Curtis A. Graves
Troy L. Green
* Stephen C. Gurchik
James T. Halbardier
James V. Halman
Charles K. Hauck
* David W. Hawkins
* David C. Hazen
* Charles R. Hendricks
* Donald Herold
† Warren E. Hersey
† Alan Higgins
Wayne L. Hildebrand, Jr.
Jerry G. Hobson
* John S. Horne, Jr.
Charles F. Johns
* Frederick K. Johns
* Melvin P. Johnson
† Richard W. Keene
* James F. Kelly
Robert C. Kidd
Kenneth R. Kimble
William M. Kram
* Loren W. Kreun
* Ronald G. Kukal
* Calvin L. Landis
* William M. LeMay
* Joseph C. Lentini
Claude L. Lewis, Jr.
* Anthony J. Liefeld
* Philip L. Long
Donald J. Lundin
† James M. Lupton
† Duane R. Marggraf
Charles M. Martin
* John L. Massengale
Edward H. McClister
Terry L. McFarland
* David L. McFeggan
Garvin L. D. McMakin
† Anthony P. Mendle
James H. Merritt
* Stephen E. Meyer
Thomas R. Moulin
David V. Myers
James L. Needham
* Richard D. Neese
* John P. Newell
Richard L. Newton
Francis J. O’Classen (plank owner)
Glenn R. Oliphant
* Eugene Owens
* David W. Page
* Dennis A. Patten
* Garland W. Payne
* Edward G. Perkins (plank owner)
David T. Plasterer
* Carl L. Pleasants
* Floyd H. Pollard
* John G. Popielski
Martin D. Powledge
Eugene Prigmore
* Albert E. Rammelsburg
* John R. Randall
Richard J. Reger
Paddy “E” Rhodes
* Douglas C. Ritenburg
* Charles L. Rowley
* Kenneth M. Schaley
* Robert J. Schnell
* Samuel L. Schulman
* Maurice B. Shafer
* Harold E. Six
* James C. Smith
† John C. Smith, Jr.
* Thomas B. Smith
* Dennis C. Snader
† John C. Spicher (plank owner)
* Joseph D. Stoudt
Richard S. Sturman
John R. Sutter
* Ralph B. Sweet
* Charles J. Thome
† Alexander N. Thompson
* Larry B. Thorn
† Thomas R. Thornton
† Phillipe C. Tiedtke
* Barry R. Timmerman
* Phillip F. Tourney
Ronald E. Trader
* Sammy M. Uber
* Donaciano Valdez, Jr.
* Thomas Lee VanCleave
George R. Vanderpool
† Frederick J. Walton
* Jerry W. Ward
Joseph P. Ward
Daniel J. Warwas
Clyde W. Way
Gordon J. Wedig
* Gregory L. Welch
SEAMEN
Gary L. Aftoora
Benjamin G. Aishe
* Richard E. Anderson
Theodore L. Arfsten
* Joseph W. Ashworth
Thomas G. Bacskay
John W. Beattie
* Edward H. Bechtel
* Nathan D. Benedict, Jr.
* Lee R. Bennett
* Gerald R. Bisher
† Gary R. Blanchard
* Calvin Bostic II
* Don R. Botcher
David W. Bundy
* Danny R. Byrd
* William E. Casper
* “J” “C” Colston, Jr.
* Rodney C. Concepcion
* Eddie Lamar Cook
* George R. Cornish
* Rodney Lee Dally
* Dale E. Daniels
Rodolfo A. Diana
James P. DiGeronimo
* Kenneth B. Eakins
Alan W. Easton
* Kenneth P. Ecker
* Donald F. Follin, Jr.
* Ronald F. Grantski
Edward D. Handy
† Lawrence P. Hayden
* Warren D. Heaney
† Carl L. Hoar
Glen J. Holden
* John M. Hrankowski
Donald A. Hurst
* Thomas F. Jackson
Duane D. Johnson
Perry W. Johnson
* James P. Kavanaugh
* Glenn D. Kelly
Frederick W. Kerner
* Eugene H. Kirk
* David J. Kisiel
* Stephen J. Krasnasky
* Alan F. Kriner
* John D. LaMar
Dale D. Larkins
* Steven J. Latorre
* Joel W. Lehman
* Terry W. Lehman
* Thomas W. Lemond
† James L. Lenau
Ronald L. Lipply
Benjamin L. Lomasang
Robert W. Long
* Gerald F. Losasso
Randy W. Lucas
* James A. Maraio
* Sofronio P. Marfil (plank owner)
† David W. Marlborough
* Jimmie L. Mathews
* Robert L. McAllister
* Patrick H. McAndrews
* Frank McInturff III
* Joseph L. Meadors
Remegio N. Mercado
* David B. Miller
Richard G. Mumford
† Carl C. Nygren
* Donald W. Pageler
* Stamatie Pahides
* Herbert J. Parker
* Salvador Payan
* Herbert C. Peetoom
* Gerald H. Pierson
* Harvey L. Purcell
Anthony A. Quintero
* Thomas A. Quintero
David Ramey
* Thomas J. Reilly
* Robert B. Reilly
Stephen J. Richard
* Victor J. Rossi, Jr.
William R. Russell
Reynald S. Sarno
* Robert A. Scarborough
* Ronald W. Schneider
* David A. Shaw
* Michael R. Simpson
† David Skolak
* Larry 1. Slavens
* Larry L. Soper
Jerry D. Smith
Michael J. Tobin
Stephen B. Tracy
* Jeffery L. Triplett
* Thomas E. Vanderschuur
* Robert B. Vandeventer
* Carl J. Vickers
Richard W. Wainwright
Pedro P. Watan
Tommy W. Wheeler
* Daniel B. Wood
* Robert M. Waltz
* Richard L. Weaver
* George W. Wilson, Jr.
* Robert R. Zagar
MARINES
* Staff Sergeant Bryce F. Lockwood
† Sergeant Jack L. Raper
† Corporal Edward E. Rehmeyer
CIVILIANS
* Donald L. Blalock
† Allen M. Blue
Robert L. Wilson
Featured image: The USS Liberty after the attack is shown with a nine degree list.
8 June 2023 at 11:02
And we turned our cheek just like the Pueblo R.I.P. My fellow shipmates CTR-2 Don Verdon 1964-1969
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8 June 2023 at 15:55
You’re correct. USS Pueblo (AGER-2) should be back in the USA not in NK
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8 June 2023 at 15:57
Also, don’t forget our EC121 with my shipmate Phil Sundby on board, lost!
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8 June 2023 at 11:10
Messman Gordon Wedig was the ship’s bread baker who served on the Liberty and later on the ship where I was the Communications Officer regaled me one night about the attack, surprise, and the ships actions. Every night when he was baking bread, a civilian he only knew as “Mr. Blue” would visit him and take hot fresh loaves of bread into the restricted spaces. R, John
“Civility is manifested not only in what we do, but in what we choose not to do.” John M. Carbone John M. Carbone, Esq. Carbone and Faasse Attorneys at Law 401 Goffle Road Ridgewood, NJ 07470 Office Phone (201) 445 – 7100 Office FAX (201) 445 – 7520 Cell (201) 394 – 7888 Home (973) 423 – 3157 Personal E-Mail USSRECOUNT@AOL.COM
>
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8 June 2023 at 13:21
As one of many who were rushed to assist the crew of the USS LIBERTY after the attack 56 years ago I still find it mind boggling that our “leaders” failed to hold any entity responsible for this. The President of the United States called off support by fighting aircraft from the USS AMERICA and the USS SARATOGA while they were enroute to assist the LIBERTY while it was under attack. We, as members of the Naval Security Group, are long overdue a TRUTHFULL accounting fo
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8 June 2023 at 15:21
RIP Shipmates. I salute you all. Most – if not all – of us who were on duty in far-flung parts of world when this atrocity took place remember it well. It would be great if the TRUE story were to be revealed but I firmly believe it will remain covered-up forever or until we are all dead. Thank you, Mario, for this full listing of the crew.
Jim King
CTOC Ret.
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8 June 2023 at 15:38
I remember some of the crew member names, as part of the crew were relocated to the base where I was stationed in Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico. I also remember the day when they were awarded their Purple Hearts. 56 years and still no truth about that day from our government.
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8 June 2023 at 15:54
On watch for this event and the USS Pueblo (AGER-2). FYI Congress has passed a resolution demanding the ship be returned. Let’s see where that goes … I have no hope.
CT2 J.P. Reilly
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8 June 2023 at 16:15
The attack on the USS Liberty was the first of 3 incidents that drove me out
of the Navy: the Liberty, the Pueblo
and the EC121 shootdown. I had
experience. OIC of NSG Dets on
guided missile destroyer patrols
in the Gulf of Tonkin, OIC of the det
suppoting CTF 77 in the GOT (Yankee Station)
and AOIC on 47 Big Look missions
on EC 121Ms with VQ 1 out of
Danang, Vietnam. In each incident,
the ships or aircraft were unprotected,
and unrequited. When the EC121
was shot down with no revenge,
I decided that was enough and
left the Navy. I might have stayed if
I had confidence in our national
leadership.
LT Airell Jenks, 1615
Go Navy!
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10 June 2023 at 21:35
CTM2 Richard W. Keene (KIA), should be listed under Petty Officers. He’s my brother from another mother, and was in LIBERTY’s Comm Center when the torpedo detonated. Fair Winds and Following Seas. Never Forget!
Bob Hanshaw, CWO3 (744X), USN (Ret) 1965-1989
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10 June 2023 at 23:59
Bob,
Correction made.
Thank you,
Mario Vulcano
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11 June 2023 at 00:23
Most Welcome.Thank you for all you do!
Bob
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29 June 2023 at 21:05
CTC Melvin Smith was my instructor at Corry Field. I was in Kami Seya when both this and the Pueblo happened. I was a watch supervisor in the DF shack the night the Pueblo was taken. RIP Chief Smith, I remember you well.
Harry Parker
CTR-2
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13 February 2024 at 21:48
On June 8 1967 I was an 18 yr old bmsn serving with the beach master unit which was embarked on the uss casa grade lsd13. We were awakened at 0300 and told to get to the armory and get are weapons and fall in on the wing wall .we were then put over the side and put into Mike boats in preparation of making a landing.we never were told anything and shortly after day break we reboarded the casa grande .sadly I was an old man before the facts were revealed.rip all patriots.
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