Warbird Information Exchange

On April 15, 1986, F-111Fs left Lakenheath on a mission to bomb Libya. It was called Operation El Dorado Canyon. One plane went down during the raid, callsign Karma-52, piloted by Major (then Captain) Fernando Ribas-Dominicci with Captain Paul F. Lorence in the WSO seat. With vatican intervention, Major Ribas remains were returned. Capt. Lorence's were not. He is still officially listed as MIA.

For as long as I have owned a home, a POW/MIA flag has flown on my house 365 days a year as a symbol that he has not been forgotten. There are 2 names on that flagpole, Paul Lorence is the first name.

I was on the communications support team for the raid and was in the Air Traffic Control tower when they took off. What followed were many tense hours of waiting. I finished my shift and went to bed to only toss and turn listening for the returning planes.

When the planes finally returned, we counted them in. 2 were missing. We all felt a sick feeling in our stomach. Our spirits rose when we heard that one had made an emergency landing in Spain. That gave us hope that dashed as the hours wore on and no word.

I met Captain Lorence on a couple of occasions as I would work on the line or in the alert areas. He was a quiet, soft-spoken guy, but was always kind.

On April 15, it will mark 21 years since he has disappeared. His son was 8 months old when he left for that mission. Today, he is an aspiring professional photographer living in England. I recently was contacted by him thanking me for the support. He didn't think anyone still remembered his father. I assured him that many did, and will continue to.

The link below is an online petition to Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart to demand that Libya return the remains so that he may be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

If you could please sign the petition and show your support, I would appreciate it. I know the Lorence family would appreciate it too.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?k52foia

If any of you with websites would also like, I created the banner below that I use to link to the petition.

Thank you for your time, and your support.

Eric

signed & done. a noble cause by you. wasn't aware their was a casualty on this mission. i salute your determination & dedication.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

His son, Pete, lives over here in the UK and is interested in flying for the Air Force.

He contacted me a month or so back and I'm trying to get him another tour out here at Lakenheath.

Great cause, definitely. Just another reminder that there is a human side to the whole fighter biz.

Hah! I got the triple nickle signature. 555

Great cause. Hope it comes true

Done. Thanks for your efforts to get him home.

Lynn

Just put my name on the list as well. Hope it helps.

Gary

Glad to help on a noble cause.

Wow! Thanks you guys!

Another addition to the petition. Hope it's successful and get the job done.

Walt

Eric, your post does not say that Lybia has the remains. Have they said so or is there any evidence that thry do.? Are you just hoping that is the case? I have not heard about this before, but I know someone who did some of the covert ops for intelligence for this. Good luck

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

An excellent cause.
Don't know if my siganture is eligible as I am Canadian but as neighbours,
we must stick together and always be there to support.

Lets bring him home.

Fleet16

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...it was a plane adrift beneath the moon moving serenely thru beams like an angel of the night .....fair as a song ........aloof from mortal dreams

i would think libya would cooperate, they've supposedly come around with denouncing terrorism, disposing of weapons of mass destruction, diplomatic relations restored etc. etc. colonel kaddafi helping find this mia will cap the libyans word on all this recent newly rekindled friendship.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Done. Are his remains in a known location?

I do know that just after the raid, Captain Lorence's helmet was displayed on Libyan television. You could clearly read the name on the helmet.

The F-111 crew sits in a capsule, not ejection seats. From the reports that I have seen, the capsule remained intact, so if Major Ribas' remains were recovered, there is a very high probability that Captain Lorence's were as well. The autopsy findings on Major Ribas remains show no injury other than a broken heel bone.

There are also some reports that someone saw his flight suit. I don't know where his remains are, but I am pretty sure that someone in Libya does.

I am working with some people on getting a high profile person involved with this. I can't say more about it yet, but stay tuned.

Thank you all for the support on this. Every signature shows further proof that Captain Lorence has not been forgotten.

Signed. Anything for a noble cause.

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P-51, The Cadillac of the Sky!