Revolutionary Change.
Revolutionary Change Interviews Phil Tourney: “We Were Sent Into a Kill Zone — And Left There”
A Firsthand Witness to a Betrayal America Still Won’t Confront
On Revolutionary Change, hosts Peter Hager and Jen Perelman sit down with USS Liberty survivor Phil Tourney for one of the most emotional and unfiltered interviews ever recorded about the 1967 attack — and the 57-year cover-up that followed.
The Liberty remains the most decorated U.S. Navy ship for a single engagement, yet the only one attacked with no Congressional investigation.
Phil has carried this story — and the weight of his lost shipmates — since he was just 20 years old.
“They left us there for two hours… then covered it up for almost sixty years.”
The USS Liberty Attack: What Phil Saw That Day
Tourney recounts the attack in detail:
The Liberty was ordered into the Mediterranean despite clear risks.
Israeli recon planes circled the ship repeatedly, filming and dipping their wings.
At 2:00 PM, unmarked Israeli jets attacked with rockets, napalm, and cannon fire.
A torpedo ripped a 40×40 foot hole, killing 25 Americans instantly.
The crew lowered their last three remaining liferafts — Israel machine-gunned them in the water, and took one aboard as a trophy.
34 Americans were killed. 174 wounded.
All while flying a large, brand-new American flag.
“It wasn’t chaos. It was slaughter.”
The Government Orders: No Help. No Rescue. No Witnesses.
As Phil explains, U.S. jets were launched from the USS Saratoga and the USS America — but:
Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara ordered them to stand down.
President Lyndon Johnson personally overrode the Navy’s rescue attempt:
“Turn those goddamn planes around. I don’t care if the sailors die. I will not embarrass our ally.”
With that, the Liberty was left alone for 17 hours.
The Cover-Up: “Tell No One. Not Even Your Parents.”
When the wounded finally reached Malta, survivors expected answers.
Instead, Admiral Isaac Kidd arrived — and threatened them into silence.
According to Phil:
Survivors were told they’d face prison or worse if they spoke.
The Navy investigation lasted just seven days.
Liberty crew testimony was ignored or buried.
Congressional leaders refused hearings for decades.
Medals and citations were issued with Israel’s name removed.
“It was a cover-up from day one — and it still is.”
Why Attack the Liberty? Phil’s Answer Is Unequivocal
Phil believes the plan was a false flag, designed to replicate the Gulf of Tonkin:
Sink the Liberty.
Blame Egypt.
Justify a massive U.S. military response.
Trigger a regional war in the Middle East.
Only the Liberty’s survival derailed it.
“If our ship went down, we would’ve had World War III. That was the plan.”
The Smears, Threats, and Intimidation
Phil recounts how he and other survivors were smeared for decades:
Labeled “anti-Semites”
Put on online “most wanted” lists
Followed, filmed, and harassed
Lug nuts loosened on his truck
Threatened at a bar by a man with a hidden-camera watch
But none of it stopped him.
“The truth makes me stronger. They hate the truth — that’s why they hate us.”
Why This Interview Matters Today
Hosts Peter and Jen emphasize what many Americans feel:
The Liberty is a turning point.
A symbol of endless wars driven by foreign interests.
A story buried because it reveals too much.
And a rallying point for a new, united movement across political lines.
“Phil is a hero. And we are not going to let this story die.”
A Book 58 Years in the Making
Phil’s upcoming book, Stay Afloat, details the attack, the aftermath, and the decades of silence he fought to break.
He also hosts his own podcast:
➡️ PhilTourneyPodcast.com
➡️ Interviews with survivors, families, and experts
➡️ Exclusive stories and archival history
Support the Crew of the USS Liberty
🌐 USS Liberty Veterans Association: https://usslibertyveterans.org
📘 Stay Afloat — Coming soon
🎥 Sacrificing Liberty documentary (YouTube & Rumble)
🎧 Phil Tourney Podcast
“Those men don’t have a voice. I do. And I’ll speak for them until my last breath.”
Topics Discussed:
USS Liberty, Revolutionary Change Podcast, Phil Tourney, Six-Day War, False Flag Operation, Israel US Relations, Navy Veterans, Government Cover-Up, Stay Afloat Book, USS Liberty Veterans Association
