William L. McGonagle
| William Loren McGonagle | |
|---|---|
 
William Loren McGonagle, October 1967, recipient of the Medal of Honor.
|
|
| Born |
November 19, 1925 Wichita, Kansas |
| Died | March 3, 1999 (aged 73) Palm Springs, California |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1944–1974 |
| Rank |
 Captain
|
| Commands held | USS Kilauea |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
William Loren McGonagle (November 19, 1925 – March 3, 1999) was a United States Naval officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions while in command of the USS Liberty when it was attacked by Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean on June 8, 1967 during the Six-Day War.
After accepting a commission in the US Navy in 1944 McGonagle held various assignments before taking command of the Liberty in 1966. In June 1967 the Liberty was sailing in international waters in the Eastern Mediterranean when it was attacked by the Israel Defense Forces, injuring McGonagle, killing and injuring other members of his crew, and severely damaging the ship. He maintained control of the ship until help arrived, and after healing from his wounds was presented the Medal of Honor for his actions on the Liberty in 1968. He continued his navy career, holding several more positions until retiring in 1974. When he died in 1999 he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors a short distance from the graves of some of his crew who were killed during the attack.
McGonagle was born November 19, 1925 in Wichita, Kansas. After attending secondary school and college in California, he enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and for the next three years participated in a Navy training program at the University of Southern California. In June 1947 he accepted a commission into the Navy as an ensign. He was assigned to the destroyer USS Frank Knox and after that was posted to the minesweeper USS Partridge from 1947–1950. During the Korean War he served on the minesweeper USS Kite during the extensive operations that earned him and the other members of the crew a Presidential Unit Citation. From 1951 to 1966, he was assigned to various positions ashore and afloat, including commands of the fleet tug USS Mataco from 1957–1958 and the salvage ship USS Reclaimer from 1961–1963.
...
Wikipedia