“Gen.Blather, I was in the navy during that time, over in that part of the world (Med deployments on a carrier) and never saw anything like that, ever. I don’t buy it. Perhaps on some smaller unattached ships that was possible, but I think we would have gotten wind of it.”
I don’t know if this sailor was on the USS Liberty at the time of the Syrian incidents related to me. He was, however, on the USS Liberty when it was attacked by Israeli jets.
Speaking of small and unattached, his version of the story is that the Liberty was supposed to meet an escort ship but the rendezvous never happened and they continued on station alone. The jets appeared and circled the ship several times for some time before they attacked. I gather, and it has been many years since we knew each other, the Liberty was often alone and unattached. He said the jets took out their communications on the first pass. They had a parade flag which they hung over the side. He believed it was impossible for the Israelis not to know the Liberty was a US ship. At the time he was able to give me several points from his observations that differed from the official accounts. So, yes, small and unattached.
Well...that would be an entirely different ball of wax if he was on the USS Liberty and that happened. I could see the possibility of that, but not a warship.
If Korcom jets had buzzed the USS Pueblo or USS Banner in that fashion you described in those days, I wouldn’t rule that out. Our enemies knew what those ships were and that they were unarmed and unaccompanied.