Retired college professor Larry Toenjes has arrived in the Mediterranean at the exact location Israel attacked the USS Liberty on June 8, 1967, killing 34 American servicemen and injuring more than 160, the Council for the National Interest is reporting Toenjes traveled 8,000 miles to reach this destination and hold a memorial service to honor those who died from the attack.
Memorial to be held 5pm Eastern Time Thursday, Sept. 8 and will be streamed on the CNI website live.
Toenjes, who departed from Galveston, Texas, almost four months ago, is accompanied by Marine veteran Rusty Glenn, also from Texas, who joined him in Malta. While there has been concern that Israel might interfere with their voyage as it has other boats in the Mediterranean, ramming and hijacking some, so far Israel seems to be ignoring the voyage.
Toenjes will remain 12 miles offshore, in international waters, where the attack took place.
While the national media have ignored this voyage, Toenjes and Liberty survivors hope that the American public will learn about his undertaking by word of mouth, blogs, and social media.
Toenjes, 74, is a 5 year Coast Guard veteran with a PhD in economics. He worked for years in the Bureau of Budget in the state government of Illinois and upon moving to Texas in 1983, taught at the University of Texas in Austin and was a research professor at the University of Texas.
“All I intend to do is exercise my right as an American citizen to proceed to a point in international waters where a grave injustice was perpetrated against US sailors and express my dismay that that injustice is being extended by the failure of Congress to have the “courage” to listen to what these men have to say. Members of Congress never seem to miss an opportunity to say to a service man or woman, “We thank you for your service!” It seems, however, that their service is not to be acknowledged if it would have the effect of embarrassing the State of Israel and the pro-Israel Lobby here in the US.”
