Operation El Dorado Canyon
April 14, 1986: The United States Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps carried out simultaneous coordinated air strikes, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, against Libya in retaliation for the West Berlin discotheque bombing ten days earlier, which U.S. President Ronald Reagan blamed directly on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
President Reagan ordered an air raid on the following Libyan targets:
Bab al-Azizia Barracks in Tripoli – Gaddafi's command and control center
Murrat Sidi Bilal in Tripoli – a training camp
Mitiga International Airport
Jamahiriya Guard barracks in Benghazi – command and control headquarters/storage of MiG aircraft components
Benina International Airport
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Twenty-eight McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extenders and Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers took off from RAF Mildenhall and RAF Fairford shortly after 19:00.
Twenty-four F-111F strike aircraft of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing departed from RAF Lakenheath and five EF-111A Ravens of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing from RAF Upper Heyford.
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.At 01:00 the USS America launched six A-6E TRAM Intruder strike aircraft with Mark 82 bombs, and six A-7 Corsair strike support aircraft. The Coral Sea simultaneously launched eight A-6E TRAM Intruders and six F/A-18A Hornets. Additional fighters were launched for combat air patrol (CAP)
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Within a total time of twelve minutes, all United States military aircraft had delivered over 60 tonnes of munitions and were "feet wet" outbound over the Mediterranean. US Navy strike aircraft had all been recovered aboard their carriers by 02:53, and all USAF aircraft had cleared Libyan airspace and were returning home.
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.Sadly, two U.S. Air Force captains—Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci and Paul F. Lorence—were killed when their F-111 fighter-bomber (callsign Karma-52) was shot down over the Gulf of Sidra. In the hours following the attack.
"Today, we have done what we had to do. If necessary, we shall do it again.
-President Ronald Reagan - April 15th 1986
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