USS Liberty, a pictorial story

Donald W Pageler

In the Atlantic from Norfolk to Africa

The Ivorian hotel in Abidjan

Approach-ing Naval Base, Rota, Spain

Dock at Naval Base, Rota, Spain

Don Pageler on Liberty with Sub tender & Submarine in background

XO Lt Commander Armstong in cabin

XO Lt Commander Armstrong,Chiefs Lambert, Benkert & Smith. Armstrong & Smith died.

Captain McGonagle sunbathing about a few hours before attack

One of the reconnaissance flights in AM before attack

Mach-ine gun tub before attack

Israeli Mirage jet during attack

Don Pageler with 2 of the 820+ rocket holes

Ensign David Lucas with rocket holes

Captain McGon-agle on bridge with rocket hole

Battle damage

Herb Peetoom near afterstering entrance with rocket holes

2 of 820+ rocket holes in aft bulkhead on main deck

Port side looking aft. TRSSCOMM in background of left picture

Rocket holes in deck plates

Rocket holes in Starboard side of bridge

Starboard midship 50 cal. gun mount with rocket hole. Missing ships whaleboat burnt by

napalm fire.

Starboard, looking forward. Missing boat & rocket holes on bridge.

Damaged ladder

Bridge as seen from helicopter. Ship riddled with over 820 rocket holes

Looking aft from forecastle at super-structure

Rocket holes, port side

Star-board side of bridge

Paint chipped from bridge by machine gun fire, upper left. Antenna mount with rocket holes on right.

Looking aft at paint chipped on bridge

Rocket holes on star-board wing.

Crewman blown from forward starboard gun mount by rocket blast

Forward starboard gun mount. USS Davis sailing along side with antiaircraft gun in background

Dr. Kiepfer’s state room with rocket holes

Capt McGonagle’s cabin with rocket holes Rocket hole in Lt Golden’s cabin

Rock-et hole in main mast

Rocket holes in antenna mounts

Rocket holes in forward port gun tub

Battle damage

Damaged ladder

Exit hole. Rocket passed through ship Rocket holes in bulkhead, main deck

Life rafts scorched by napalm

Port side midship gun mount burnt by napalm

Port side main deck life raft rack & bulkhead burnt by napalm

Napalm fire damage port side

Napalm fire damage signal bridge

Napalm fire damage signal bridge

Napalm fire damage port side midship gun tub, TRSS-COMM in background

Capt McGonagle (shrapnel in leg) on bridge with Lt. Painter. Wounded in battle dressing station on mess deck

Glenn Bloxham, Gene Kirk & others observe badly

wounded in battle dressing station on mess deck.

Corpsman tends to wounded sailor

Israeli torpedo boat during attack

Lt John Scott inspects shoring built to keep flooded compartment from collapsing

Air ducts damaged by torpedo explosion

After a long night, help finally arrives the following day.

USS Davis & USS Massey come along side

USS Davis highline transfer of supplies to Liberty

USS Davis sails along side Liberty

Pictures of Liberty taken from USS America

Wounded leaving Liberty on helicopter

Wounded arriving USS America

Wounded arriving USS America

Lt Commander Dave Lewis was temporarily blinded by torpedo blast

Dave Lewis with doctor on USS America

Don Harold with doctor on USS America

George Wilson on evacuation flight

Walking wounded attending Memorial Ceremony on USS America

Press Conference on USS America

Memorial Ceremony on USS America

USS Liberty seen from USS America

View looking forward showing 13 degree list

USS Liberty arriving Malta

Tip of torpedo hole in starboard side

Tip of torpedo hole seen at water line

Tip of torpedo hole covered for security

Tip of torpedo hole with scuba divers

Torpedo hole seen from dock during dry dock (water removed)

40 ft torpedo hole during dry dock. Most of hole below water line. Note shipmate standing in hole

Torpedo hole seen from inside during dry dock

Cleanup of torpedoed compart-ment

Cleanup of torpedoed compartment

Part of cleanup crew resting

Don Pageler after 2 days of cleanup. Removing remains of 25 dead shipmates leaves lasting scars, resulting in PTSD 20 years later.

Casket being loaded in Malta

These men did not come home alive

Stern view from air upon return to Little Creek

Stern view of normal steaming colors, Israelis claim they could not see. During attack over-sized Holiday colors were raised to replace damaged flag.

USS Liberty returns to Little Creek