Register of the William Loren McGonagle papers
Processed by Aparna Mukherjee
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford University
Stanford, California 94305-6010
Phone: (650) 723-3563
Fax: (650) 725-3445
Email: archives@hoover.stanford.edu
© 2008
Hoover Institution Archives. All rights reserved.
Register of the William Loren McGonagle papers
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford University
Stanford, California
- Processed by:
- Aparna Mukherjee
- Date Completed:
- 2008
- Encoded by:
- Elizabeth Konzak
© 2008 Hoover Institution Archives. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: William Loren McGonagle papers
Dates: 1947-1999
Collection number: 99046
Creator:
McGonagle, William Loren
Collection Size:
10 manuscript boxes
(4.2 linear feet)
Repository:
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford, California 94305-6010
Abstract: The William L. McGonagle collection describes the devastation caused by the Israeli naval and air attack on the American naval
intelligence ship Liberty on June 8, 1967, and the honors and citations bestowed on him for heroism and sacrifice. Materials
include correspondence, reports, orders, personnel records, writings, printed matter, and photographs
Physical location: Hoover Institution Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English,
Hebrew
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research. Access to audiovisual materials requires at least two weeks advance notice.
Audiovisual materials include sound recordings, video recordings, and motion picture film.
Hoover staff will determine whether use copies of the materials requested can be
made available. Some materials may not be accessible even with advance notice. Please
contact the Hoover Institution Archives for further information.
Publication Rights
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], William Loren McGonagle papers, [Box no.], Hoover Institution Archives
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives in 1999
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find
the collection in Stanford University's online catalog Socrates at
http : //library.stanford.edu/webcat . Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in the catalog is larger than the number of boxes
listed in this finding aid.
Biographical Note
| 1925 Nov. 19 |
Born, Wichita, Kansas |
| 1942 Sept. - 1944 June |
Graduated, Coachella Valley Union High School, Indio, California |
| 1944 July - 1945 Nov. |
Student, University of Redlands, Redlands, California |
| 1947 June |
A.B. in History, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California |
| 1947-1950 |
Served in the destroyer
USS Frank Knox and minesweeper
USS Partridge and served in the minesweeper
USS Kite during the Korean War
|
| 1947 June |
Commissioned, in the rank of Ensign |
| 1951 Sept. - Dec. |
U.S. Naval School (Electronics), San Francisco, California |
| 1952 Jan. - 1953 July |
U.S. Naval Advance Base, Bremerhaven, Germany |
| 1959 Jan. - 1961 June |
Assistant Professor of Naval Science, Naval Weapons, Leadership, and Naval Operations |
| 1959 June - 1961 June |
B.S. in Education, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho |
| 1963 July 1 |
Promoted to Commander |
| 1966 April - 1967 Sept. |
Commanding Officer of the technical research ship
USS Liberty
|
| 1967 June 8 |
Israeli naval and air attack on the American naval intelligence ship
USS Liberty; Received Purple Heart and Medal of Honor
|
| 1967 Oct. |
Promoted to the rank of Captain, |
| |
Commanded the new ammunition ship Kilauea |
| |
Led the NROTC Unit at the University of Oklahoma |
| 1969 Aug. - 1971 May |
Commanding Officer and Professor of Naval Science, Chief Navy Division |
| |
Awarded meritorious Service Medal (Gold Star in lieu of Award) |
| 1974 Aug. 1 |
Retired from active duty |
| 1999 Mar. 3 |
Died, Palm Springs, California |
Scope and Content of Collection
The William McGonagle papers narrate the story of the Israeli naval and air attack on the American naval intelligence ship
USS Liberty on June 8, 1967. Materials consist of correspondence, reports, orders, personnel records, writings, printed matter, and
photographs relating to the incident.
The central theme of the papers is the incident on
USS Liberty. The surprise Israeli attack on the U.S. ship, the damages on the ship, loss of lives, and serious injuries produced an outcry
all over the world. The heroic effort made by William McGonagle to save his shipmates earned him the Medal of Honor and citations
as well as the respect of the United States Navy and beyond.
The United States Navy File contains general information about the Navy and William McGonagle's personal files. The files
record William McGonagle's assignments, including the
USS Liberty,
USS Kilauea, and JUSMAG Philippines. The
USS Liberty records include numerous photographs which present a picture of the destruction and injuries.
In addition, there are two 1/4-inch sound tape reels that contain information about the
USS Liberty and an interview.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into 4 series: Biographical File, United States Navy File, Photographs and Negatives, and 1/4-Inch
Sound Tape Reel
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Liberty (Ship)
Israel-Arab War, 1967--Naval operations.
United States--Armed forces--Mediterranean Sea.
United States--Foreign relations--Israel.
Israel--Foreign relations--United States.
United States. Navy-Officers.
Collection Contents
Box: 1-2
Biographical File,
1960-1999 and undated
Scope and Content Note
Citations, clippings, correspondence with the next of kin of men who died under his command, identification cards, memoranda,
notice of discharge from active duty, personal files, printed matter, and speaking file, as well as books and papers written
by others presented to William McGonagle. Arranged alphabetically by physical form
Box/Folder: 1 : 1
Biographical information,
1960 and undated.
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of William McGonagle
Box/Folder: 1 : 4
Correspondence,
1967-1993.
Scope and Content Note
Letters and addresses for the next of kin of men who died under his command. Includes photographs of Marines, undated
Box/Folder: 1 : 5
Geneva Convention identification cards, undated
Box/Folder: 1 : 6
Memorandum for record about an interview with Kathryn Hatch, Newsweek,
1969
Box/Folder: 1 : 7
Notice of discharge from duty,
1974
Box/Folder: 1 : 8-10
Personal files,
1969-1982 and undated
Box/Folder: 1 : 13
United States of America's Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients and Their Official Citations, copyrights held by Highland
Publishers and Highland House II,
1980 and 1994
Box/Folder: 2 : 1
The
USS Liberty : Dissenting History VS. Official History, John E. Borne,
1995
Box/Folder: 2 : 2-3
The Liberty Incident, a dissertation by A. Jay Kristol, University of Miami,
1997
Box/Folder: 2 : 4
Miscellany,
1966-1998 and undated
Box: 2-8
United States Navy File,
1948-1998 and undated.
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence, fitness reports of officers, publicity file, and scrapbook, arranged alphabetically by physical form. The
records of ships, especially the
USS Liberty, are described separately in the same order
William McGonagle office files
Box/Folder: 3 : 3
1968
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographic prints of William McGonagle and others,undated
Box/Folder: 3 : 8
1991
Scope and Content Note
- Secretary of the Navy
Box/Folder: 3 : 10-12
Fitness reports,
1948-1973
Box/Folder: 4 : 1
Instruction sheets and list of crew members,
undated
Box/Folder: 4 : 6
Printed matter,
1968-1970
Box/Folder: 4 : 7
Publicity file,
1968-1969
Box/Folder: 4 : 8
Scrapbook -
The Keel : United States Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois,
undated
Box/Folder: 4 : 9-10
JUSMAG Philippines,
1969-1984.
Scope and Content Note
Includes officers' evaluation and fitness reports
Box/Folder: 5 : 2
Fitness reports of officers,
1967-1970
Box/Folder: 5 : 3
Newsclip file,
1967-1968.
Scope and Content Note
Includes a photograph of William McGonagle and Navy personnel,undated
Box/Folder: 5 : 5
Press releases,
1967-1971.
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of William McGonagle and others,undated
Box/Folder: 5 : 6
Printed matter,
1968
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs depicting William McGonagle and others, undated
Box/Folder: 5 : 9
Awards and Chief Naval Officer's letter authorizing awards,
1991 and undated
Box/Folder: 5 : 10
Basic orders and endorsements,
1967-1968
Box/Folder: 6 : 1-3
Clippings and media coverage,
1967-1998 and undated
Box/Folder: 7 : 5-6
Fitness reports,
1967-1980
Box/Folder: 7 : 9
Navy/Marine Corps/Civilian personnel killed or died as a result of combat action during the armed attack on
USS Liberty,
1967
Box/Folder: 7 : 11
Medical file,
1968 and undated
Box/Folder: 7 : 13
Memorial service,
1993
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of memorial tombs,undated
Box/Folder: 8 : 5-6
Printed matter,
1967-1998
Box/Folder: 8 : 10
Summary of events,
undated
Box/Folder: 8 : 15
Miscellany,
1967-1971 and undated
Box: 9-10
Photographs and Negatives,
1967-1973 and undated
Scope and Content Note
Photographs and negatives depicting William McGonagle and others arranged in groups, as well as images of the
USS Liberty and
USS Kilauea
Box/Folder: 9 : 2
William McGonagle,
undated.
Box/Folder: 9 : 3
Collection of photographs,
undated
Box/Folder: 9 : 4-5
Commissioning photographs,
1968 and undated
Box/Folder: 9 : 6-7
William McGonagle and others watching Commissary man involved in the preparation of the commissioning of the
USS Kilauea,
undated.
Scope and Content Note
Includes Kiwanis Club and Sogibow, Michigan, 1970
Box/Folder: 9 : 8
Commanding officers,
USS Liberty,
undated
Box/Folder: 9 : 9
Awards presentation on the
USS Liberty,
undated.
Scope and Content Note
Includes related materials, undated
Box/Folder: 9 : 10
Album, Photographs of the
USS Liberty, circa 1967
Box/Folder: 9 : 11
Photographs of the
USS Liberty with William McGonagle on board,
1967
Box/Folder: 10 : 1
Salvage photographs - Guam,
1962
Box/Folder: 10 : 2
Bronze Star Medal award,
1968
Box/Folder: 10 : 3
Album of Navy Division building and signing of lease for Phil Navy Ship YD-205,
1973
Box: 10
1/4-Inch Sound Tape Reels,
1967-1969.
Scope and Content Note
Consists of recordings of a
USS Liberty press conference and an unidentified interview
Box/Folder: 10 : 5
USS Liberty press conference tape,
1967
Box/Folder: 10 : 6
WKY radio interview,
1969
