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USS Liberty wife of an American military man killed at age 24 on the USS Liberty
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The USS Liberty
An open letter to Senator John Warner

James Lupton, October 29, 1942 - June 8, 1967
James Lupton
October 29, 1942 -
June 8, 1967

Mr. Warner,

I am writing to you in your capacity as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. I am the wife of James Mahlon Lupton, CT1, who was killed aboard the USS Liberty when it was attacked by Israel on June 8, 1967. He was right where the torpedo hit. I have wondered for 32 years what was on his 24-year-old mind as he worked, knowing that the ship was under attack, that she had no defense weapons, that basically she didn’t have a chance unless someone came to the rescue. He probably heard the torpedoes being launched and heard them zinging in the water. Coming toward him. Coming Fast! And perhaps knew, somehow, that this time, there was not going to be a rescue...there was not going to be any help from anybody...that Israel was going to sink this vessel and she didn’t have a chance. And maybe — his last thought was of me.

I was 24 years old. We had been married only two years. My husband was 6’2” tall, 220 pounds, very handsome, with a winning smile (I have pictures to prove it) and many friends. Everyone who knew him respected him because of his integrity. He had the highest sense of honor and “my word is my bond” that I have ever seen in a human being. He did not equivocate or tell lies.

I am telling you all this about him because right now he is an unknown person to you. But I assure you, he was a real person, who laughed, loved, had hobbies, enjoyed the company of friends and family, and was looked up to as a man to emulate. And certainly looked up to by me. I had tremendous respect for him. He was such a fine person — he was the only person who could make me laugh when I was angry. (Until I had my son — he had that same quality. Sadly, I also lost my son, 11 years ago, when he was 15.)

Senator Warner, he was a real person. And I am a real person, just as you are a real person. You have lived, loved, laughed, enjoyed the respect of your peers, and enjoyed considerable success in your field, because of your intelligence and your expertise. My husband did exactly the same thing. Not in your field, of course — he was a Russian linguist. What I am trying to accomplish here is to make you aware that he was a person, with the rights and privileges that all American citizens enjoy. Except for one thing...he died on the Liberty when it was torpedoed by Israel — our allies — I thought allies were supposed to work together and protect each other. Am I under an illusion here? Or am I just misunderstanding the meaning of the word “ally”?

I was in Turkey at the time. I woke up to a beautiful sunlit spring day, and got dressed to go to my job on the air base. I remember that I wore a sky-blue dress. When the officer came into my office to tell me that the ship had been attacked, I started shaking. The coffee I was drinking spilled over the edges of the cup and my knees turned to water. I couldn’t stand up.

I sat down and immediately lost focus. All I could do was react to what I had heard. The officer said what he had to say — he was very kind — and left. My boss said I could go home. (Home? What home? Didn’t I have a husband at home?) I could scarcely remember how to drive — but I did. I had some friends who wanted to take my mind off what was going on, so they took me to the movie that was showing on base. The movie was The Bedford Incident. Isn’t that ironic....

I’m giving you all this history because you need to know that I am not the only wife who felt that way. I am not the only woman who lost someone she loved on that vessel. And I am not the only person looking for honest answers to a nightmare that has been ongoing for 32 years. You know, the families and the survivors of the Liberty only want the truth. Nobody wants to “get even” or “start something” — we just want to put this at rest, and as long as the truth is hidden, not one of us can rest. And if this happened to us, who among our shipmates is safe? And why would anyone enlist to serve a country that apparently doesn’t even care enough about what happened to us to launch an investigation?

Having said all that, I have some questions to ask, and I would sincerely appreciate a response within 10 days. I have read almost everything on the USS Liberty web site — some of it is too painful still — and there are discrepancies and inadequacies which I am certainly not the first to note or point out. My questions are listed below.

Why didn’t the Sixth Fleet come to the aid of the Liberty?


Why were the rescue aircraft called back by the President of the United states?


What involvement did the 303 Committee have in the Liberty’s deployment and mission?


What did Project Cyanide have to do with the Liberty, directly or indirectly?


What did Frontlet 615 have to do with the Liberty directly or indirectly?


Why wasn’t the USS Amberjack allowed to come to the aid of the Liberty?


Where is the film of the attack taken by the Amberjack?


Why weren’t violations of the UCMJ investigated?


Why were warning and operational messages to the Liberty intentionally mis-routed?


Why was the crew told to keep silent regarding the attack?


What secret is so volatile that cannot be revealed by our government after 30 years?


Why haven’t clear violations of international law been investigated?


Why was Admiral Tobin awarded the Bronze Star when he wasn’t even there?


Why hasn’t our former ambassador to Lebanon, Dwight Porter, ever been questioned by Congress, when it is known he listened to the attack at our embassy in Lebanon?


Why was Commander McGonagle awarded his Medal of Honor, our country’s highest honor, in the Navy Yard instead of in a ceremony conducted by the President at the White House? That certainly was not his request. And it is the only Medal of Honor that has been presented in such a fashion. Begging your pardon, Senator — that was shameful.

I would sincerely appreciate any explanation that you can give that would ease the pain I bear. I have remarried and had children, been divorced, worked, and still work at my job, and I still don’t understand. I am trying very hard to get some peace and it just won’t come. I have not forgotten him, and I will never forget that awful day, because my life changed — when I lost a piece of my heart.

Can you help me?

Thank you for your time and consideration.



Very truly yours,

Barbara Scott (Lupton) Neilson

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----------------------THIS SOURCE ---------------------------
https://ifamericansknew.org/us_ints/ul-widow.html
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SEE THIS MAIN SITE FOR MORE ON USS LIBERTY::
https://ifamericansknew.org/us_ints/ussliberty.html

A holiday of international remembrance for those Americans who were murdered by Israel while serving onboard an American ship, the USS Liberty, should at least share the public limelight with Trump's birthday. A 3 day celebration of heightened awareness and honor is appropriate and is long overdue. Their surviving families and crew should be showcased and honored.

"Move follows Yair Golan's comments that Israel kills children in Gaza as a ‘hobby'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party submitted a bill to the Knesset (parliament) on Tuesday to strip army and security personnel who call for disobeying military orders of their ranks, local media said.

The move by Likud members of the Knesset follows comments by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, who accused his country of killing Palestinian children in Gaza as a “hobby.”

Golan, a former general and leader of the Democrats Party, said early Tuesday that Israel is becoming a pariah state that kills children as “a hobby."

“A sane country does not fight against civilians, does not kill children as a hobby, and does not give itself the aim of expelling populations,” Golan told the public broadcaster KAN.

The unprecedented statements triggered furious reactions from Netanyahu and his government members, who continue to ignore international calls to end the brutal war on Gaza.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 53,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave."

https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/netanyahus-party-proposes-bill-to-strip-opponents-of-military-ranks-after-comments-on-killing-gaza-children-3702463

Title, niggers.

Washington recognized America was a country of Christian Europeans with common cause and goals and it was important to keep it that way.

"With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together. The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes."

From his farewell address.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/farewell-address

Also

"The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquillity at home, your peace abroad, of your safety, of your prosperity, of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth, as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most constantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously) directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity; watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety; discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned, and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts."

And also Washington and of course he was speaking of the opinion of the time by all the founders recognize that religion ( which I'll remind you he expressed in the same speech above was the common religion of Christianity which differed very little among the people of the country when it was formed) must be part of the government. The absolute opposite of the argument made today that should be excluded from government.

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness--these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."


Thus we have the man who was perhaps one of the most instrumental in the founding and discussions and writing of the Constitution and implementing it and its first president stating unequivocally that America was a Christian Nation composed of people of common origin meaning Europeans and that preservation of religion meaning that Christian religion of course in the government was essential and was the intention is f the founders.



(It's important to recognize at this time that jews were commonly excluded from request for citizenship in the new nation. Even very wealthy ones constantly petitioned the states and the federal government to be allowed to be a citizen of the nation were excluded because the founders knew their jewish beliefs and actions conflicted with the Christian morality of the nation.)

This was not just any speech from washington. This was Washington's farewell address where he used the sum of all his accumulated knowledge and his first terms as the first president of the United States to State these facts and summarize what he thought was the most important messages to those who would carry on.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/farewell-address

I just got a call and visit from a DCF officer this morning. Stupidly (in retrospect), I talked. It was over my son being pinched. Yes, thumb + forefinger grab some skin and pinch. It was a punishment for continually dumping sand in my truck from his shoes. After many a verbal warning, he got a physical punishment. He says it left a bruise, but I'm pretty sure the bruise is from him climbing trees because it's not near where I pinched, and it's similar to other tree climbing bruises.

Regardless, his pre-Kindergarten school reported me apparently - without even talking to me about it first (another W for homeschooling) - and next thing I know CPS is calling saying they'll be at my house in 5 minutes. Which wasn't enough time to research how to handle the situation. From what little I've gleaned since, it appears that if I bar them, they could just assume the worst and take the child into protective custody (which leads to a judicial hearing w/in 24 hours). Let me reiterate - ALL FOR A PINCH. We regularly pinch each other in play fights and wrestling. But I'm sure he came in crying because he got in trouble, told a teacher I pinched him, and they went running to CPS/DCF.

From what I understand, if the school sees a mark, they're required to report it. Which is ironic given how many times we've picked him up with a busted lip or bumps and bruises and they're like "please sign the incident report; he 'walked into a door' (or something)." I'm just shell-shocked and caught completely off guard - I'm not an abusive parent. I spank from time to time as an elevated consequence, and I give thorough explanation of why the punishment is carried out.

Anon for obvious reasons. My diction probably makes me identifiable to the astute.

It's a hierarchical system where you spend the most hours of your day throughout life getting bossed around. I was reminded of this, with my unemployed self, in referring to a 20 something female and talking to her boss yesterday, a guy I called her "superior". He answered that he was her superior without blinking an eye at my use of words.

Close runner-ups are the family and teachers which of course means school. But bosses take the top spot.

https://files.catbox.moe/vlt8xv.webp