USS Liberty Inquiry - Cannon Shell Strike Pattern Supports Close-in MTB Attack

A conspicuous concentrated cluster of cannon shell strikes on USS Liberty's starboard mid-ship hull (between frames 80 to 95) appears in several post-attack photographs, like the one below.

(click on image for enlarged view)

The shell strikes appear to range from about 2 to 18 feet above the Plimsoll line. Also, above or nearly above each strike is a tell-tale shrapnel mark that indicates firing from various positions higher than the strike points.[1] Thus, it appears that these shots were fired by attacking aircraft and not by a close-by MTB (motor torpedo boat), firing directly at the hull, as attack survivors claim.[2] But recall that the survivors' claim involves at least one MTB attacking the ship with cannon and machine gun fire about 15 to 20 minutes after the torpedo hit, when the ship was listing to starboard about 10 degrees, as depicted in the scale drawing below.

(click on image for enlarged view)

As you can see, cannon shell shots directed at the inclined hull would appear to come from above; and, indeed, an analysis (see below) shows that the highly concentrated shell impacts, and their tell-tail shrapnel arc showing orientation of trajectory,[1] fits the pattern of at least one close-by MTB moving past the ship and concentrating its cannon fire on the ship's hull, at a location directly outside the engine room.[3]

(click on image for enlarged view)

Being close to the ship means the MTB crew would have been able to see clearly the ship's name "LIBERTY" on the stern, the large "GTR5" letters on both her stern and bow, and the American flag flying on her large and high central mast. They would have been close enough to see the faces of sailors on USS Liberty's deck while continuing their attack, after the torpedo hit.

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[1] Several photographs are known to show shelling damage that unquestionably occurred during the air attack, and a few others show damage in positions that were exposed only to air attack . Without exception, these photographs show arcs of shrapnel damage above the holes that correlate to the orientation of the projectile's downward trajectory. For example, see damage analysis image: "Forward Deck House Front Bulkhead".

[2] USS Liberty Engineering Log, as read and recorded in Naval Court of Inquiry testimony by the Engineering Officer, LT Golden:

"1453 [about 20 minutes after torpedo hit], generator on the line. During this period of time, there were both 20mms and two other smaller caliber bullets coming through the bulkhead from the starboard side from approximately frames 80 to 95."

[3] An attack damage analysis image entitled "Starboard Main Deck Superstructure Bulkhead" shows evidence of an approximate 0.50 caliber-sized bullet stuck in a vertical bulkhead, on the starboard side of the superstructure, directly above the cluster of cannon shell hits on the hull, with its angle of incidence approximately 10 degrees above the normal plane, making it appear that the bullet came from above. But the attacking aircraft had 30mm automatic cannons, not 0.50 caliber machine guns. And if the bullet was fired from an MTB and hit the bulkhead before the ship was listing, the angle of incidence would likely be within the normal plane or below -- dependent on the machine gun's height above the MTB's main deck. Thus, it appears that the bullet was fired from an MTB when the ship was listing.