Medal of Honor citation for Commander William L. McGonagle, USN, Commanding Officer, USS Liberty (AGTR-5)

Thanks to Candace Owens for lifting this incident from the dead.

One receives the Medal of Honor for engaging in a fight in enemy action.

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer, USS Liberty (AGTR-5) in the Eastern Mediterranean on 8-9 June 1967. Sailing in international waters, the Liberty was attacked without warning by jet fighter aircraft and motor torpedo boats which inflicted many casualties among the crew and caused extreme damage to the ship. Although severely wounded during the first air attack, Captain (then Commander) McGonagle remained at his battle station on the badly damaged bridge and, with full knowledge of the seriousness of his wounds, subordinated his own welfare to the safety and survival of his command. Steadfastly refusing any treatment which would take him away from his post, he calmly continued to exercise firm command of his ship. Despite continuous exposure to fire, he maneuvered his ship, directed its defense, supervised the control of flooding and fire, and saw to the care of the casualties. Captain McGonagle’s extraordinary valor under these conditions inspired the surviving members of the Liberty’s crew, many of them seriously wounded, to heroic efforts to overcome the battle damage and keep the ship afloat. Subsequent to the attack, although in great pain and weak from the loss of blood, Captain McGonagle remained at his battle station and continued to conn his ship for more than seventeen hours. It was only after rendezvous with a United States destroyer that he relinquished personal control of the Liberty and permitted himself to be removed from the bridge. Even then, he refused much needed medical attention until convinced that the seriously wounded among his crew had been treated. Captain McGonagle’s superb professionalism, courageous fighting spirit, and valiant leadership saved his ship and many lives. His actions sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

Here’s an excellent nut and bolts history:

An excellent book on the subject:

If you wish to reach some of the survivors, try here: https://ussliberty.org/

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ingalls-removes-uss-zumwalt-s-iconic-guns-installs-hypersonic-missiles

My Substack

Email me at cgpodcast@pm.me

On this day, 62 years ago, David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962) premiered in London, UK.

My favorite movie of all time.

Editor’s Note: Just returned from business travel so my blogging frequency should bump up again.

Boeing continues o provide legions of future business historians the fodder for hundreds of books and cautionary tales on how engineering can fall of a cliff once competency and merit are abandoned for the fashionable 21st century reboot of National Socialist identitarian totalitarianism in DEI nonsense.

A federal judge on Thursday rejected a deal that would have let Boeing plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas said that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in picking an official to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement.

The ruling creates uncertainty around criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant in connection with the development of its bestselling airline plane.

The judge gave Boeing and the Justice Department 30 days to tell him how they plan to proceed. They could negotiate a new plea agreement, or prosecutors could move to put the company on trial.

The vermin at Boeing have been stringing the victims’ families for years in court.

Many relatives of the passengers who died in the crashes, which took place off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019, have spent years pushing for a public trial, the prosecution of former company officials, and more severe financial punishment for Boeing.

The bad news continues the chaos avalanche at Boeing.

When the Justice Department announced in 2021 that it had reached a settlement and would not prosecute Boeing for fraud, families of the victims were outraged. Judge O’Connor ruled last year that the Justice Department broke a victims-rights law by not telling relatives that it was negotiating with Boeing, but said he had no power to overturn the deal.

The 2021 deferred-prosecution agreement was due to expire in January, and it was widely expected that prosecutors would seek to permanently drop the matter. Just days before that, however, a door plug blew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon.

That incident renewed concerns about manufacturing quality and safety at Boeing, and put the company under intense scrutiny by regulators and lawmakers.

The case is just one of many challenges facing Boeing, which has lost more than $23 billion since 2019 and fallen behind Airbus in selling and delivering new planes.

US judge rejects Boeing’s plea deal in a conspiracy case stemming from fatal plane crashes

My Substack

Email me at cgpodcast@pm.me

Al-Qaeda’s Takeover in Syria: Truth Behind the Headlines!

Al-Qaeda’s recent control over Syria marks a significant shift in the region, and we need to unpack its implications. While mainstream media may portray this as a victory for freedom and justice, the reality is far more complex. The rise of HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) has deep roots in Al-Qaeda ideology, with its leader Al Jolani having been inspired by anti-American sentiments.

Kyle delves into how HTS rebranded itself to gain Western acceptance while maintaining ties to extremist ideologies. We will explore the true nature of this group and what it means for both Syria and American interests moving forward.