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Jocko Podcast

327: Attack on The USS Liberty w/ Phil Tourney, Larry Bowen, Joe Meadors.

Jocko Podcast

Jocko DEFCOR Network

Management, History, Business

4.831.3K Ratings

🗓️ 30 March 2022

⏱️ 160 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

0:00:00 - Opening.

0:04:01 - Attack on the USS Liberty.

2:18:49 - How to stay on THE PATH.

2:38:47 - Closing gratitude.



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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is Jockel Podcast number 327 with me, Jockel Willink. The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Bronz Star Medal to Petty Officer III class, Philip Francis Torney, United States Navy for service as set forth in the following citation for heroic achievements in connection with the unprovoked and unexpected armed attack on USS Liberty,

0:30.0

the Mediterranean on 8 June 1967. During the early afternoon hours USS Liberty, while engaged in peaceful operations in international waters, was attacked without any warning by jet fighter aircraft and three motor torpedo boats.

0:51.0

Liberty was subjected to intense incendiary, machine gun and rocket fire and was placed in extreme jeopardy by a torpedo hit below the water line on the starboard side in the vicinity of the research compartment.

1:06.0

Severe structural damage and extensive personnel casualties were incurred. Petty Officer Torney, serving as assistant on-scene leader in the Ford Repair Party, first assisted in organizing the evacuation of wounded personnel from the exposed weather decks.

1:24.0

With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he continued to fearlessly expose himself to intense rocket and machine gun fire to move a firefighting team to the bridge.

1:38.0

He then returned to the Ford Weather Decks to ensure that no more wounded were still exposed before going below to maintain damage control conditions of compartments below the water line.

1:50.0

He remained below decks during the torpedo attack and immediately afterward assisted and directed emergency repairs to minimize further flooding and damage.

2:01.0

His aggressiveness and coolness under fire was exceptionally inspirational leadership in an hour of awesome peril.

2:11.0

Petty Officer Torney's initiative and courageous actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

2:22.0

Petty Officer Torney is authorized to wear the combat V distinguishing device.

2:32.0

That citation reflects an obviously intense and dire situation for a U.S. naval ship, the USS Liberty, during a vicious and determined attack.

2:47.0

What the citation does not mention is the state or the enemy force that is conducting the attack.

3:04.0

The incident of Israel and the U.S. has been wrought with controversy as to how and why it happened.

3:17.0

But there can be no controversy or no doubt about the courage and bravery of the sailors on the ship that day who suffered significant casualties.

3:31.0

They fought to save their shipmates and their ship and his honor to have three of those sailors with us here to share their experiences and their lessons learned.

3:47.0

Phil Turnie, Larry Bowen and Joe Metters.

3:52.0

Gentlemen, thank you for joining us. It's an honor to have you all out here.

3:57.0

I appreciate you traveling and getting out here.

4:00.0

Thank you, sir. That's about as good as it gets from an American heroist yourself, a sailor, seal, bent through it, understands what battles all about.

4:14.0

When you have nothing to fight back with but don't know your will and your guts to stay alive is inspirational for all the crew. It was all hands on deck, regrettably meaning of our shipmates lost their lives or severely wounded.

4:34.0

They had to be evacuated the next day and we didn't get any help from our government. During the attack, after the attack, 18 hours later we say a cruiser or a destroyer, Maddox, not the Maddox but the Matt, yeah, Massey.

4:53.0

Come alongside in the US as Davis and that was it and those guys coming aboard our ship on whale boats and they were actually crying to see the devastation of what they did to us.

...

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