Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci
Fernando Luis Ribas-Dominicci | |
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| Born | June 24, 1952 Utuado, Puerto Rico |
| Died | April 15, 1986 (aged 33) Gulf of Sidra |
| Place of burial | San Andres Cemetery Utuado, Puerto Rico |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |  United States Air Force
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| Years of service | 1975–1986 |
| Rank | Air Force Commendation Medal |
Early years
Ribas-Dominicci was born in the town of
Military career
Ribas-Dominicci was assigned to
Operation El Dorado Canyon
On April 15, 1986, in response to acts of terrorism sponsored by
Aftermath
On December 25, 1988, after years of denying that they had the bodies of the two crew members, Gaddafi offered to release the body of Lorence to his family through Pope John Paul II. The body recovered and thought to be that of Lorence was actually that of then-Captain Fernando L. Ribas-Domminici, which was identified by dental records and returned in 1989.[3]
The Libyan government has denied that it holds Lorence's remains and the U.S government does not believe that they are hiding anything.[4] Major Fernando Luis Ribas-Dominicci's remains are buried in his hometown of Utuado.
Honors and legacy
Both men's names are engraved in the F-111 "Vark" Memorial Park located in Clovis, New Mexico. Ribas-Dominicci was awarded the Purple Heart and posthumously promoted to the rank of major, effective April 15, 1986.[5]
To honor his memory, the
Awards and decorations
Among Major Ribas-Dominicci's military decorations were the following:
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| Badge | Aviator Wings | ||
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| 1st Row | Purple Heart | ||
| 2nd Row | Meritorious Service Medal | Air Medal | Air Force Commendation Medal
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| 3rd Row | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
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Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
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National Defense Service Medal |
| 4th Row | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon | Air Force Longevity Service Award
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| 5th Row | Combat Readiness Medal w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster |
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
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Air Force Training Ribbon
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Notes
- Spanish name, the first or paternal surnameis Ribas and the second or maternal family name is Dominicci.
See also
- List of Puerto Ricans
- Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel
- Hispanics in the United States Air Force
- University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people
References
- ^ a b c "El Dorado Canyon Memorial site". United States Government. Archived from the original on October 21, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ a b William R. Doerner; David Halevy; Bruce van Voorst (April 28, 1986). "In the Dead of the Night". Time. Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ Burns, Robert. "General: U.S. seeks relations with Liby". POW Network. Archived from the original on November 13, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ "Bombing of Libya (1986)". Scribd. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ "F-111 Aardvark Memorial". Archived from the original on April 26, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ "Fernando Ribas Dominicci Airport". Retrieved October 31, 2011.
Further reading
- Puertorriquenos Who Served With Guts, Glory, and Honor. Fighting to Defend a Nation Not Completely Their Own; by Greg Boudonck; ISBN 978-1497421837
External links
- Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci at Find a Grave
- Air Force Magazine. 82 (3). Retrieved November 23, 2006.
- Captain Paul Lorence: An American Patriot Left Behind, In 2001, Lorence's lifelong friend, reference librarian Theodore D. Karantsalis, enlisted the aid of Congressman Wally Herger's office to urge Libya to return Lorence's remains on behalf of his family and friends. The Paul Lorence web blog (posted above) was started in 2005 to get the word out around the 20th anniversary of the raid.
- Venkus, Robert E. (1992). Raid On Qaddafi. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-07073-X.