Word: 14s
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...more ways than one. Reagan also made his first public comment -a huzzah-on the news that two of those Navy F-14s had shot down two Soviet-made Libyan Su-22s over the Mediterranean off Libya's coastline (see WORLD). That had been a two-fisted, straight-shooting display of military decisiveness much in keeping with Reagan's desire to project American clout overseas...
Reagan knew the confrontation was coming and so did his men, right to the flyers in the F-14s. It was not to be "a direct provocation," explained one of the architects for the maneuvers. But the U.S. "had placed a chip on its shoulder, and the Libyans could try to knock it off if they wished." Behind this bravado was the simple but passionate belief by Reagan that, at home and abroad, when the structures of civilization are threatened the President must respond quickly and decisively. Freedom of the seas was the principle at stake off Libya...
...unwary. Since the landfall to the south was Libya, led by the unpredictable and often hostile Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, and since U.S. and French aircraft had been harassed over the Mediterranean by Libyan planes, the U.S. pilots were ready for trouble. To the north of the F-14s flew two carrier-based E-2C Hawkeye radar planes, smaller counterparts of the Air Force AWACS, spotting approaching aircraft and ships...
...Wednesday morning, the CAP had intercepted and waved off about 40 sorties by Libyan air force planes. Each time, U.S. F-14s rolled in beside the interlopers, and the Libyan planes turned and headed for home. Had the Libyans not done so, the American pilots would have had no choice but to escort them through the exercise area, however dangerous it might be, since the craft of both nations were over international waters...
Official inquiries into the cause of the crash could take as long as six months, and the investigators will lack some evidence in their search for explanations: hours after the accident, the EA-6B and the two unsalvageable F-14s were pushed overboard. Captain John Batzler, the Nimitz's commanding officer, was authorized to jettison the three irreparable aircraft by Vice Admiral George E.R. Kinnear, Commander of Naval Air Forces Atlantic, who flew to the Nimitz hours after the crash. The wrecked fighters still carried their loads of unexploded missiles and ammunition, which posed a danger to ship...