CBS News Special Report - Attack on Libya - April 15, 1986

I was one of a handful military members of the United States Air Force edible for and awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Eligibility requirement was to be present within 62 nautical miles of Tripoli, Libya the nights of April 14-15, 1986. This is the first combat air strikes the Air Force accomplished since Vietnam.

Of note, Operation El Dorado Canyon was the only actually accomplished combat sorties of many potential combat sorties that began when US aircraft from the three carriers crossed the “Line of Death” and began operating in the Gulf on 23 March 1986. Little known fact is Air Force Special Operations combat rescue aircraft (H-53 helicopters and HC-130 tankers) were crossing the line of death on several sorties. I was there on many of these sorties as a Pararescue team leader.