Operation El Dorado Canyon was the name of the joint United States Air Force and Navy air-strikes against Libya on April 15, 1986. The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Origins

The bombing raid was the conclusion of a period of escalating tit-for-tat actions between the United States and Libya. After years of occasional skirmishes with Libya over Libyan territorial claims to the Gulf of Sidra, a water body extending into international waters, and years of vulnerability to Libyan supported terrorism, especially the Abu Nidal group behind the Rome and Vienna Airport Attacks of December 27, 1985, the United States decided to push the issue in the Spring of 1986, contemplating a military attack in order to send a message about support for international terrorism. In March 1986, the United States sent carrier task forces to the region, successfully baiting Libya into aggressive counter-maneuvers on March 24 that led to American attacks against Libyan radar systems and missile attack boats. Less than two weeks later on April 5, a bomb exploded in a West Berlin, Germany, disco, La Belle, killing two American servicemen and a Turkish woman and wounding 200 others. The United States claimed to have obtained cable transcripts from Libyan agents in East Germany involved in the attack. The Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea of the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte. ... Abu Nidal in 1976 in a photograph released by the Israeli army, one of only a handful of photographs of him known to exist. ... The Rome and Vienna Airport Attacks were two major terrorist attacks carried out on December 27, 1985. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... The April 6, 1986, La Belle discotheque bombing was a terrorist attack on a West Berlin discotheque that was frequented by U.S. soldiers. ... Boroughs of West Berlin West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... La Belle is the name of a disco in Berlin, Germany, which was attacked with a bomb on April 5, 1986. ... National motto: none Official languages German Capital East Berlin Largest city East Berlin Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 106th 108,333 km² Negligible Creation -Unified 7 October 1949 3 October 1990 Currency East German mark Time zone  â€“ in summer CET (UTC+1) CEST (UTC+2) National anthem Auferstanden aus Ruinen Internet...

The Attack

After several days of diplomatic talks with European and Arab partners, President Reagan ordered the strike on Libya on April 14. F-111 aircraft flying from 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath and 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Upper Heyford in England, along with A-6, A-7, and F-18 planes from the aircraft carriers USS America and USS Coral Sea, struck five targets at 02:00 on April 15, in the hope that their destruction would send a message and reduce Libya's ability to support and train terrorists. The United States was denied use of European continental bases and France and Spain denied overflight rights, forcing the use of the UK-based F-111s that required American planes to fly around France and travel down the Atlantic Ocean coast and into the Mediterranean at the Straits of Gibraltar, an extra 1,300 miles each way that required multi in-air refueling. The attack lasted about ten minutes; however, the bombs were not completely accurate and many missed their intended targets. Several targets were hit and destroyed, but a number of civilian and diplomatic sites in Tripoli were hit as well, notably the French embassy. The presidential seal was first used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America (often abbreviated to POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... A U.S. Air Force F-111 The General Dynamics F-111 was a long-range strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and tactical strike aircraft. ... Statue of Liberty Wing Emblem Subdued version The 48th Fighter Wing, formerly 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, was part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force, now assigned to HQ Air Command Europe, is based at RAF Lakenheath, England and is the only F-15 unit based in Europe. ... A 492d Fighter Squadron F-15E from Lakenheath lifts off from the airfields runway A F-15D of the 48 FW over England with a P-51 Mustang RAF Lakenheath is a United States Air Forces in Europe base, located near Lakenheath, Suffolk. ... RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station near the village of Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire, UK. During the Cold War, the station served as a base for United States Air Force units in the UK. The airfield is today used for storage of motor vehicles. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK... An A-6 Intruder landing aboard an Aircraft carrier. ... A-7 Corsair II The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II was a light attack aircraft based on the F-8 Crusader. ... April 2003: Two United States Navy F/A-18 Hornets prepare to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... USS Coral Sea (CV/CVB/CVA-43), a Midway-class aircraft carrier, was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Battle of the Coral Sea. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... The exact definition of terrorism is highly controversial. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space. ... A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one nation state present in another nation state to represent the sending state in the receiving State. ...

US forces and targets

[1] Wheelus Air Base was an air base used by the US Air Force on the coast of Libya, east of Tripoli. ...

Libyan air defenses

The Libyan air defense network was extensive including:

• 4 Long range SA-5 Vega anti-aircraft missile units with a total of 24 launchers.
• 86 SA-2 Volchov and Neva anti-aircraft missile units with a total of 276 launchers.

Covering Tripoli alone were: An S-200 missile on its launcher. ... An S-75 missile on camoflaged launcher An S-75 missile in elevated position An North Vietnamese S-75 site An S-75 missile in transit A Fan Song radar (left) and what looks like a Low Blow to the right The SA-2 Guideline is the NATO reporting name...

• 7 SA-2 Volchov anti-aircraft missile units with 6 missiles launchers per unit giving a total of 42 launchers.
• 12 SA-3 Neva anti-aircraft missile units with 4 missiles launchers per unit giving a total of 48 launchers.
• 3 SA-6 Kub anti-aircraft missile units with a total of 48 launchers.
• 1 SA-8 Osa-AK anti-aircraft regiment with 16 launch vehicles.
• 2 Crotale II anti-aircraft units 60 launch pads

Cold War International History Project An S-75 missile on camoflaged launcher An S-75 missile in elevated position An North Vietnamese S-75 site An S-75 missile in transit A Fan Song radar (left) and what looks like a Low Blow to the right The SA-2 Guideline is the NATO reporting name... Two S-125 dual missile launcher trailers. ... A 3M9 TEL in desert camoflage. ... An SA-8 9K33M3 TELAR w/Land Roll radars. ... Crotales are also percussion instruments. ...

Casualties

A 15-month-old girl said to have been Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi's adopted daughter was killed and two of his sons were injured. Gaddafi himself was the main target but, although several bombs exploded near his tent, he was not harmed. In all, at least 15 civilians died in the attacks, together with an unknown number of Libyan military personnel. Colonel Gaddafi Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qaddafi 1 — pronounced Gaddafi — (Arabic: معمر القذافي Mu`ammar al-Qadhdhāfī) (born circa 1942 near Sirte, Libya), has been the leader of Libya since 1969. ...

Two USAF captains — Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci and Paul F. Lorence — were killed when their F-111 was shot down over the Gulf of Sidra, probably by an SA-5 missile. Major Fernando Luis Ribas-Dominicci (1952 – April 15, 1986) born in Utuado, Puerto Rico, was an F-111F pilot in the United States Air Force. ... The Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea of the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte. ... An S-200 missile on its launcher. ...

On December 25, 1988, Gaddafi offered to release the body of Lorence to his family through Pope John Paul II. Though Ribas-Dominicci's body was returned in 1989, Lorence's remains are believed to be still in Libyan hands. December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII in Roman) was a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), born Karol Józef Wojtyła (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005) reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church for almost 27 years, from October 16, 1978 until his death, making his the second-longest pontificate. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX in Roman) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2001 Theodore D. Karantsalis, a reference librarian at Miami-Dade College, enlisted the aid of Congressman Wally Herger's office to urge Libya to return Lorence's remains on behalf of his family and friends. Karantsalis also created the following website and invited visitors to sign a petition to Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart seeking the return of Paul's remains.Captain Paul Lorence: An American Left Behind 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Walter William Herger (born May 20, 1945), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1987, representing the 2nd District of California, including Chico, Redding and Red Bluff. ...

On January 27, 2005, Karantsalis filed a federal lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) against the Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force seeking "to know where Captain Paul Lorence's remains are located."

Karantsalis hopes to locate Lorence before the 20th anniversary of his death. He has spent more than 10-years collecting information on the whereabouts of his friend through FOIA requests, interviews, and countless hours of research at the library. Read the complaint http://www.fletc.com

Retaliation

There was some retaliation. Libya's response was to fire several Scud missiles at US Coast Guard stations on the Italian island of Lampedusa — these exploded harmlessly in the sea nearby. In Beirut, Lebanon, two British and one American hostages held by Hezbollah were killed. Gaddafi quashed a revolt and condemned the United States; while he did not specifically threaten military action and left the public sphere from some time after, more effective retaliation apparently came in the form of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988. The Libyan Government formally accepted responsibility for the bombing on May 29, 2002, and offered $2.7 billion to compensate the families of the 270 victims. Polish missile wz. ... Canadian Coast Guard ship and helicopter A coast guard is an organization devoted to saving the lives of shipwrecked mariners or people in danger at sea (disputed — see talk page). ... Categories: Stub | Islands of Italy ... Central Beirut (2004) Beirut (Arabic: , BayrÅ«t) is the capital, largest city, and chief seaport of Lebanon. ... The Hezbollah flag Hezbollah (Arabic ‮حزب الله‬, meaning Party of God, for other designations or alternative spellings, see name part of this article) is a Shia Islamist group in Lebanon founded in 1982 to fight the Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon. ... Pan Am Flight 103 was Pan American World Airways third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from Londons Heathrow International Airport to New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII in Roman) was a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Aftermath

Many nations condemned the attack, notably all the Arab states and France, the Soviet Union, and other nations. The US received support from Britain, Australia, Israel, and a few others. Its doctrine of declaring a "war on terror" was not repeated until 1998, when President Clinton ordered strikes on six terrorist camps in Afghanistan. Still, the attack served as an early warning of what could happen to states that supported terrorism. And although the operation was not a complete success, the attack may have intimidated Libya, and, except for the certainly major exception of the UTA Flight 772 and the Lockerbie bombings, Libyan supported terrorism demonstrably declined. Margaret Thatcher's approval of the use of RAF bases (and some domestic policies) lead to substantial criticism, including an unprecedented story in the Sunday Times suggesting the Queen was upset by an "uncaring" Prime Minister. The war on terrorism or war on terror (abbreviated in U.S. policy circles as GWOT for Global War on Terror) is an effort by the governments of the United States and its principal allies to destroy groups deemed to be terrorist (primarily radical Islamist organizations such as al-Qaeda... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Union des Transports Aériens Flight 772 was a flight of a French airline which was scheduled to fly from the former Congo-Brazzaville, to NDjamena in Chad, and then to Charles De Gaulle International Airport near Paris. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925), is a British politician and a former barrister and chemist. ... The Sunday Times is the name of several Sunday newspapers. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), born 21 April 1926, is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms. ...

The overall European reaction to the United States’ 1986 bombing of Libya was extremely negative. Nearly every European government opposed the American attack, and public opinion in almost every state was overwhelmingly against the action. While the United Kingdom permitted the United States to use its bases to launch the attack, both France and Spain denied fly-over rights. The West German government although officially opposed to the attack was a bit more ambivalent and understanding in post-attack statements by Helmut Kohl. Interestingly, only in France, which had a history of problems with Libya especially over Chad, was public opinion supportive of the US action, with initially about 60% approving. Yet, despite the overall European outrage, the United States still achieved new European-wide anti-terrorism rules at the upcoming Tokyo G7 meeting. Dr. Helmut Kohl (full name Helmut Josef Michael Kohl) (born April 3, 1930) is a German conservative politician and statesman. ... For the group of seven industrially advanced nations see G7. ...

Although the Soviet Union was ostensibly in cooperation with Libya, it had by the time of the Libya bombing made its increasing ambivalence toward Libya apparent in public communications. Gaddafi had a history of verbally attacking the policy agendas and ideology of the Soviet Union, and he often engaged in various international interventions and meddlings that conflicted with Soviet goals in a variety of spheres. During a period where the Soviet Union was apparently attempting to lead a subtle diplomatic effort that could impact its global pariah status, close association with the whims of Gaddafi became a liability.

In the entire crisis, the Soviet Union explicitly announced that it would not provide additional help to Libya beyond resupplying basic armaments and munitions. It made no attempt to militarily intimidate the United States, despite the ongoing American operations in the Gulf of Sidra and its previous knowledge that the United States might launch an attack. However, the Soviet Union also did not completely ignore the propaganda gift and it issued a standard denunciation of this 'wild' and 'barbaric' act by the United States.

After the raid, Moscow did cancel a planned visit to the United States by foreign affairs minister Eduard Shevardnadze. At the same time, it clearly signaled that it did not want this action to affect negotiations about the upcoming summer summit between the United States and the Soviet Union and its plans for new arms control agreements. Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (Georgian: ედუარდ შევარდნაძე, Russian: Эдуа́рд Амвро́сьевич Шевардна́дзе; pronounced ed-oo-ard am-vro-see-ye-vitch she-va-rd-nad-zuh) (born 25 January 1928) is a Georgian politician. ...

Further reading

• Stanik, Joseph T. El Dorado Canyon: Reagan's Undeclared War With Qaddafi. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 2003. ISBN 1557509832

Motto: Nickname: Americas Sailing Capital , Naptown Founded Incorporated 1649 1708  County Anne Arundel County Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 19. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Operation El Dorado Canyon at Globasecurity.org
• Operation El Dorado Canyon from Air Force Association magazine