As far as Baba Hatab went, the story at the time was that he was directing the Palestinian youth, and some UPM students, as to which house to attack.  However, the real fact was that he was trying to drive down the hill from Barger's to warn many of the Americans of the rioters who had come in through the primeter fence by the hospital.  They did penetrate the fences in several sections, but the vast majority came via the hospital tunnel.

I have a lot of photos of overturned vehicles that were turned over at the admin building and the hospital parking lot.  Only one or two were burned.  A lot of windows were broken, including my house.  However, many houseboys also showed great courage, and yelled and carried on by standing in front of the homes, and yelling that there were children present, and that this riot was wrong, etc.  Many Arab families had marked their houses with signs claiming that they were Moslem.  Not all did, just a few.  Ben J'awli's office was contacted immediately by Aramco, and the Saudi Bedu Army (The Barefoot Army) was sent from Damman, and within a very short time had things under control.

As to what caused the riot, not only are those of you who stated Gamel Nasir made inflammatory remarks correct, but Egyptian TV showed tanks and armored vehicles with Israeli troops, except the vehicles had American ID, such as U.S. stars and insignia.  This was due to the fact that the Israeli military had used up so much equipment, and so much had been destroyed by the Egyptian 3rd army (later to surrender), that the U.S. pulled armor and other equipment out of Germany and other NATO countries, and it was sent to the front without even being painted over - a stunt U.S. State Department officials later claimed was an overt act by the Israelis to antagonize the Arab League forces.

This deliberate act by the Israeli TV and media was then picked up world wide and was shown over and over.  Thus, a lot of the statements of Gamel Nasir seemed supported by visual images.  Some U.S. units in Germany were stripped to within 50% of their combat readiness capability to shore up Israeli losses.

I think as far as the USS Liberty, that U.S. Politics caused the death of most of the American servicemen, and that Israel lied about the attack.  And that even to this day, as Joe Meadors can tell you, there is much heated debate as to the U.S. Government coverup of the Israeli attack on the Liberty.

Yes, many of the Saudi gardeners, and others, knew about the impending riots, and many warned Americans they knew and were fond of.  Many others just crept away.  There are many stories about this.  I personally was descending into Dhahran Airport when the Captain said over the intercom that we had been ordered away and to Rome.  His comment, immortalized in my young ears was, "Ladies and Gentlemen.  This is the Captain speaking.  We have just been informed that Israeli tanks have crossed into Jordan and Egypt, and that all flights are cancelled."  He did not say Arab tanks had rolled into Israel, as Israel had taken the initiative and attacked first.  They later said the Arabs were planning an attack anyway, but who knows.  And history, a long time from now, will have to decide this.

As an aside to this, the U.S. Embassy was also attacked, and the American flag torn down.  The young Palestinian who did this fell, and when The Barefoot Rrmy reached the compound, he was beheaded where he fell.  The U.S. Marine Embassy Guards had been ordered to keep the rioters from the building interiors, but not to fire unless they tried to enter, which they did not.

Baba Hatab got a bad rap from all this, and many still believe he was guiding the rioters.  But, many more heard him very clearly yelling at the rioters to stop, in the name of Allah, for they were wrong and this was not right.

He was cleared by Aramco, but was actually jailed by the Saudis until Americans, several of them women, spoke up on his behalf.  He was Jordanian and was expelled anyway.  Not sure if he ever came back.

I did get home, but not until several weeks later, after we boys and girls stuck in Rome were put up in the "Hotel Love" by the Aramco Rep.  I shared a room with seven ladies!  They were great people and we had a blast.  However, Aramco found out and soon, boys were sent to stay at Notre Dame, and the girls to Marymont.  So ends that "Love" affair.

That summer, we had very little activity in the districts, and no dhow trips.  But we did have Tri-D dances!

Allah Akbar !