Clay Township veteran Jack Beattie stands in front of a world map depicting all the places he was while in the U.S. Navy on Monday, June 5, 2017. He served on the American spy ship USS Liberty when it was attacked Israeli war planes and ships 50 years ago Thursday, June 8,(Photo: Jackie Smith/Times Herald)Buy Photo

Fifty years ago, Jack Beattie watched unknown pilots flying overhead while he was aboard the USS Liberty in the Mediterranean Sea.

They were close enough to wave to, but they didnt wave back.

Beattie questioned what was happening then. Five decades later, on the anniversary of the attack on his spy ship, hes still seeking answers.

Beattie, 69 ofClay Township,easily recounts the June 8, 1967, attack that took the lives of 34 men on Libertyand wounded 170 more. It's a story he wants Americans to hear and remember 50 years later.

The unprovoked attack by Israeliforces on the ship came during what is now known as the Six-Day War, a clash between Israel and several Arab nations. The U.S. stayedneutral during the conflict.

Beattie said survivors whove sought an investigation into the 1967 attack have often received some pushback that it was anti-Semitic or derogatory of an American ally. On Monday, he said they just wantanswers.

Clay Township Jack Beattie served on the USS Liberty, which was attacked by Israeli forces 50 years ago Thursday. He remembers keeping quiet of the events early on but has made an effort to share his experience since. Jackie Smith/Times Herald

Still, he added its humbling to be in a position to share the experience. It shouldve been done years ago, but it was not, he said. Weve been pushing this for the last 20 years, Id say.

The day of the attack started with aircraft circling overhead.In the hours before the attack, Beattie said they had felt safe onboard, thinking it was clear to whomever they were the Liberty was an American ship and not involved in the conflict.

You could actually wave to the pilots. They never waved back. I (saw) for myself, he said. One time I was on the main deck, and the Israeli transport plane flew over us and went around the ship several times and took off. We were monitored many times. So they knew who we were. The USS Liberty (showed it was the) AGTR-5 on the bow, port and starboard side, in 5-foot letters. On the back of the ship said (it was) the Liberty, and an American flag (flew).

Beattie was in a whaleboat hanging on the side of the ship, helping enginemen, when he saw sailors on the bridge looking at oncoming aircraft moments before rockets hit that day.

Once the rockets hit, he said, they were shocked, andjets came back and forth for about 40 minutes.

They said, Stand by for torpedo attacks, starboard side. Im thinking, Torpedos? Were not even at war. Whats going on? And Im looking at the wall there, and I (knew) thats the starboard side, he said. So I get on the phone; I said, Request permission to leave and they said, Wait one, which is hold on. Im thinking, How much longer are we going to hold on? So I have the phone on, and Im going up the ladder. Id just opened the hatch and was just getting out when the torpedo hit, and all the kids collapsed. There was smoke. It threw me around like a rag doll. And the ship just started rolling over.

The frenzy continued as crews made their way on deck, Beattie said, where they just hunkered down until the machine-gunning of the ship was over. He said hed been banged around but never sought medical treatment.

U.S. Navy veteran Jack Beattie, of Clay Township, shows a picture of himself on Monday, June 5, 2017. While on the USS Liberty, he was an E-3 fireman in the ship's machine shop.(Photo: Jackie Smith/Times Herald)

Beattie called it a harrowing night that left them to sleep in their life jackets for several nights on a ship that ultimately never sank.

In the half-century since the attack, hes made it almost his mission to share his story.

We didnt know it was Israel right away. Nobody knew, Beattie said Monday in his home. John Scott, he was a (damage control) officer with us, down on the deck. (We asked), Mr. Scott, whos shooting? and he said, I dont know. I dont know whos shooting at us. We thought it had to be Egypt. Then we found out.

Beattie, age 19 at the time, said theyd been told not to talk about it and largely kept quiet after the attack something he said probably changed after about 15 years.

Israel would go on to apologize for the attack, citing an error in mistaking the Liberty for an Egyptian ship. However, Beattie said hes among the survivors who believe theres a bigger story there.

When you tell the truth of what happened to you personally, it comes out the same every time, said the veteran, whose naval service ended in 1991.

The Liberty was an American technical research ship or a spy ship. Beattie had been on board two years and was an E-3 fireman, working in the ships machine shop.

Jack Beattie sorts through magazines, photographs and documents regarding the USS Liberty on Monday, June 5, 2017, in the kitchen of his Clay Township home. The U.S. Navy veteran served on the Liberty when it was attacked 50 years ago Thursday.(Photo: Jackie Smith/Times Herald)

In May, Beattie joined the other Vietnam-era veterans who received a special label pin honoring his service from state officials. Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township, and Senate Majority Floor Leader Mike Kowall shared the honors with Beattie, and Pavlov said 1,000 received the recognition in the capital last year.

Jack was one of the people that reached out, Pavlov said. It was very nice. Hes got a heck of a story if you havent talked to him about it yet. Its unique.

On Tuesday, Beattie was to leave for Washington, D.C., for events and recognition more specific to those who served on the Liberty. That was to include a visit to Arlington National Cemetery to recognize veterans and those killed in the attack and a reunion in Norfolk.

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.

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Clay Twp. vet recalls 'harrowing night' on USS Liberty 50 years later - Port Huron Times Herald