Joe Meadors was aboard the Greek-flagged ship Sfendoni on Memorial Day when Israeli forces intercepted it, along with five other vessels, to maintain Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Although his ship did not come under attack on Monday, Meadors’ vessel 43 years ago—the USS Liberty—was badly damaged by Israel during the Six Day War.

 

The USS Liberty was an intelligence ship sailing in international waters on June 8, 1967, when Israeli warplanes and torpedo boats attacked, resulting in the deaths of 34 American personnel, and 171 wounded. Israel has always contended the attack was a mistake, and the government subsequently paid about $13 million in compensation to settle claims arising from the incident.

 

Another Liberty survivor, James Ennes, told the media that Meadors joined the Gaza flotilla in part to raise awareness about what happened to their ship more than four decades ago.

 

Meadors was taken into custody on Monday by Israeli forces, but was released and returned to the United States.

 

Another ship in the flotilla, the Mavi Marmara, was the scene of a bloody fight when Israeli commandoes boarded the ship in international waters, leaving nine of the ship’s occupants dead.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Liberty Survivor Aboard Gaza Flotilla (by Bryant Jordan, Military.com)

USS Liberty Incident (Wikipedia)