Disclosure Urged of Ship Attack Details

Ending three decades of silence, the Liberty’s last skipper urged that the U.S. and Israeli governments release full details about Israel’s June 1967 assault on his ship, which killed 34 and wounded 171 sailors. Retired Navy Capt. William L. McGonagle said it was apparent the attack off the Israeli coast was not a case of mistaken identity as claimed but “gross incompetence and aggravated dereliction of duty on the part of many officers and men of the state of Israel.” McGonagle, 71, a Medal of Honor winner who lives in Palm Springs, made his appeal at a reunion of survivors from the intelligence-gathering ship.