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2159Z 08 June 1967 transmitted message text from
U.S.S. America to
Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)


P R 082159Z JUN 67
FM USS AMERICA
TO OASD PA
INFO COMSIXTHFLT
BT
C O N F I D E N T I A L
FLEET PAO SENDS
1. FOLLOWING NEWS COPY FORWARDED FOR YOUR ACTION.
2. QUOTE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. SECOND LEAD ABOARD THE
CARRIER AMERICA IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, JUNE 8 (AP) SIX U.S. WARPLANES
TOOK OFF WITH BOMBS AND MISSILES WHEN THE ISRAELI FORCES MIS-
TAKENLY ATTACKED AN AMERICA TACTICAL RESEARCH SHIP JUST OFF EGYPT.
PARA
ALTHOUGH NAVY SPOKESMEN DECLINED TO DISCUSS SUDDEN ALERT
CONDITIONS WHICH GRIPPED THE CARRIER ABOUT MID-AFTERNOON, THE
PLANES APPARENTLY WERE EN ROUTE FOR AN AIR STRIKE. PARA
THEY WERE RECALLED TO THE SHIP WITHIN A HALF HOUR, APPARENTLY WHEN
WASHINGTON INFORMED THE SIXTH FLEET THAT THE U.S. SHIP WAS A MIS-
TAKEN TARGET. PARA
SENT ALOFT ON VIRTUALLY AN EMERGENCY BASIS WERE FOUR F-4 PHANTOMS
EQUIPPED WITH AIR-TO-AIR ROCKETS AND TWO A-4 SKYHAWK BOMBERS STRAP-
PED WITH SIX 500-POUND BOMBS. PARA
THE CARRIER HAD BEEN HARASSED REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY BY
SOVIET SHIPS, MAINLY A SWIFT MANEUVERING PATROL CRAFT ESCORT,
AND MANY CREWMAN THOUGHT THE FLEET MIGHT BE RESPONDING TO THE
RUSSIAN ACTIONS. PARA
THE CARRIER WAS IN THE MIDST OF RESUMING TO NORMAL TRAINING EXERCISES
WHEN ALL AIRCRAFT WERE SUDDENLY RECALLED FOR A LANDING, AND THE
HALF-DOZEN PLANES DISPATCHED WITH ORDNANCE. PARA
A SENSE OF URGENCY SPREAD AMONG CREWMEN WORKING FRANTICALLY TO GET
THE PLANES AIRBORNE QUICKLY. NEWSMEN WERE TEMPORARILY PLACED UNDER
ESCORT AND BARRED FROM CERTAIN AREAS OF THE SHIP. PARA
NAVY SPOKESMEN WOULD ANSWER NO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THE PLANES
WERE HEADED, WHETHER THE BATTLE-FOOTING ATMOSPHERE WAS A DIRECT
RESULT OF THE ISRAELI ATTACK OR WHY THE PLANES WERE BROUGHT BACK
PARA
THE AIRCRAFT ROUTINELY DUMPED THEIR BOMBS AS A SAFETY MEASURE BEFORE
LANDING. PARA
EVEN AS THE AMERICA'S PLANES WERE CATAPULTING SKYWARD, THE SOVIET
PATROL CRAFT, WITH A GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER NEARBY, CONTINUED
ITS PERSISTENT ATTEMPTS TO PULL NEAR THE CARRIER, PARA
(PICK UP) HORTON UNQUOTE
BT


Note: See COMSIXTHFLT 081716Z JUN 67 for reason press copy sent to OASD(PA).

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