USS Liberty High School Essay Contest
Rochester, New York Friday, November 1, 1996
The USS Liberty Veterans Association announces
the second national high school essay contest
on the subject, "The attack on the USS Liberty."
The national winner will receive a cash award of $2,500 while a second prize winner will receive $1,000. Regional prizes of $500 and $250 will be awarded in four areas described by the four major American time zones. A total of $6,500 in prizes will be awarded.
Entries will be judged by newspaper columnists
Charley Reese of the Orlando Sentinel,
Maury Maverick of the San Antonio Express-News,
Mark Genrich, deputy editor of the editorial
page of the Phoenix Gazette, and Dr. John Borne,
author of "USS Liberty: Dissenting History Vs.
Official History."
The USS Liberty was a U.S. Navy intelligence
collection vessel attacked by the State of Israel
in 1967 in international waters during the Six Day
War. The circumstances of the attack have been in
dispute ever since. Israel maintains that its
forces mistook the USS Liberty for an Egyptian horse carrier,
El Quseir. Survivors, supported by a host of senior U.S. officials including the late
Secretary of State Dean Rusk and former Joint
Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Thomas Moorer,
insist that the attack was calculated and
deliberate. Thirty-four men died and 171 were
wounded in the two-hour air, sea and helicopter
assault. The ship was so badly damaged that it
had to be scrapped.
For 29 years the United States Congress has
refused survivors' demands to hear their testimony
in an open, full scale investigation. Survivors
maintain that the attack included grave violations
of international law. US law requires that such
charges be investigated. This attack, however,
remains the only major maritime incident in all
U.S. history not investigated by Congress.
Survivors attribute that failure to Israel's
friends in Congress who hope to spare Israel the
embarrassment of an open inquiry.
While survivors regard the attack as deliberate,
opposing essay viewpoints are welcome. Entries
will be judged on knowledge, understanding,
clarity and persuasiveness.
Winners will be announced and prizes awarded in
Washington, D.C., the weekend of 7-9 June 1997,
during the 30th anniversary reunion of survivors
of the attack.
Contest rules, a complete bibliography, detailed
information, and statements from all sides may be
found in the award-winning USS Liberty
internet web site at
http://www.ussliberty.org/jim/ussliberty/ .
The contest will be conducted entirely by
electronic mail.
Contest rules may be obtained
electronically by sending email to
An email copy of this announcement
may be obtained by sending email to
announce@joe.entrepreneurs.net .
A list of files may be obtained by sending email to
libindex@joe.entrepreneurs.net .
The contest coordinator is survivor John
Hrankowski of Rochester, New York. Mr. Hrankowski
may be contacted electronically by sending email to
For further information the press may call Mr.
Hrankowski at 1 716 225-0385. Email is preferred.
Essay Contest Coordinator
USS Liberty Veterans Association
45 Drumcliff Way
Rochester, New York 14612
USS Liberty Essay Contest
Contest Rules
Sponsor: The USS Liberty Essay Contest is
sponsored and financed entirely by the USS Liberty
Veterans Association, a non-profit association of
former crewmen of the intelligence ship USS
Liberty which was attacked by air and naval forces
of the State of Israel on June 8, 1967.
Eligibility: Any student attending a high school
within the 50 United States and the District of
Columbia is eligible.
Registration: Any student planning to enter the
contest should send electronic mail (email) to the
contest coordinator, Mr. John Hrankowski, at email
address jmhok@earthlink.net, listing in the
following order and format the contestant's
1. Name and age
2. Postal address
3. High school and school grade
4. Telephone number
5. Email address.
6. Time zone from which applicant is entering
Deadline for registration: While early
registration is urged for planning purposes,
applications will be accepted until March 1, 1997.
Deadline for completed essay: Essays will be
accepted until April 15, 1997. No essays will be
accepted after that date.
American citizens outside of the four continental
times zones may enter in any time zone of their choosing.
Essay length: Essays may be any length up to 1,500 words. Entries in excess of 1,500 words including headings, signatures and any footnotes, will not be accepted. If required by the limitations of certain email programs, contestants may split entries into two or more sections appropriately numbered Part I, Part II, etc. Essays should be included in the email text, not as separately attached files.
Point of View: While the Association regards the
attack as deliberate, essayists are not limited to
that viewpoint. Essayists may argue any position
they feel can be supported by logic and evidence.
Ownership: All entries become the exclusive
property of the USS Liberty Veterans Association.
Any winning entries may be published in the USS
Liberty internet web site or the USS Liberty
Newsletter without further fee or compensation.
None will be returned.
Judging: Decisions of the judges will be final.
National winners will be notified by telephone and
by email. Names of national winners will be
announced in Washington, DC, on the weekend of
June 7-9, 1997, during the 30th anniversary
reunion of USS Liberty survivors. Names of state
and national winners and runners-up will be posted
in the USS Liberty Web Site.
Administration: The contest will be administered
by a coordinator appointed by the USS Liberty
Veterans Association. The administrator may
adjust rules, deadlines or conditions if
necessary for the smooth conduct of the contest.
Prizes:
National First Prize Winner $2,500
National Second Prize Winner 1,000
Pacific Time Zone Winner 500
Mountain Time Zone Winner 500
Central Time Zone Winner 500
Eastern Time Zone Winner 500
Pacific Time Zone runner-up 250
Mountain Times Zone runner-up 250
Central Time Zone runner-up 250
Eastern Time Zone runner-up 250
Questions: Questions should be directed by
email to the contest coordinator at email address
The press or teachers may contact the
coordinator by calling Mr. Hrankowski at
716 225-0385. Email is preferred.
Essay Contest Coordinator
USS Liberty Veterans Association
45 Drumcliff Way, Rochester, New York 14612
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USS Liberty High School Essay Contest
Rochester, New York Friday, November 1, 1996