Fernando L . Ribas - Dominicci Major Fernando Luis Ribas - Dominicci ( June 24 , 1952 – April 15 , 1986 ) , was an F - 111F pilot in the United States Air Force . He was killed in action during Operation El Dorado Canyon , the April 15 , 1986 U . S . air raid on Libya . Early years . Ribas - Dominicci was born in the town of Utuado , located in the mountains of Puerto Rico where he received his primary and secondary education . As a child , he had always dreamed of becoming a pilot and after he graduated from high school , he entered the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez where he earned his Bachelor ' s degree in civil engineering . As a student in the university , he was a member of the campus ' ROTC program and upon graduation was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U . S . Air Force . Military career . Ribas - Dominicci was assigned to Cannon Air Force Base , in New Mexico , where he received advanced training as an General Dynamics F - 111 combat pilot . By 1983 , Ribas - Dominicci was a Captain and the recipient of the Air Force Commendation Medal . In 1985 , he completed his Master ' s Degree in aeronautical science at the Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach , Florida , USA . Operation El Dorado Canyon . On April 15 , 1986 , in response to acts of terrorism sponsored by Libyan leader Muammar al - Gaddafi , the United States attacked key terrorist training facilities in Tripoli , Libya using 18 USAF F - 111F fighter - bombers & 5 EF - 111A Radar Jamming aircraft from bases in England . The attack was code - named Operation El Dorado Canyon . This was part of a joint strike mission in coordination with US Navy aircraft which struck targets in Behghazi , Libya at the same time . Maj . Ribas - Dominicci was one of the pilots who participated in the air raid as member of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing . His F - 111F was shot down in action over the disputed Gulf of Sidra off the Libyan coast . Ribas - Dominicci and his weapons systems officer , Capt . Paul Lorence , were the only U . S . casualties of the mission . 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 . The Libyan government has denied that it holds Lorence ' s remains and the U . S government does not believe that they are hiding anything . 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 . To honor his memory , the Government of Puerto Rico renamed the Isla Grande Airport in San Juan to Fernando Ribas Dominicci Airport . The City of Utuado honored its fallen hero by naming a main avenue as Fernando Ribas - Dominicci Avenue . A monument in his honor , simulating an F - 111 , has been placed at the entrance of Utuado . Ribas - Dominicci ' s name is engraved in " El Monumento de la Recordación " ( Spanish : " Monument of Remembrance " ) dedicated to Puerto Rico ' s fallen soldiers and situated in front of the Capitol Building in San Juan , Puerto Rico . Awards and decorations . Among Major Ribas - Dominicci ' s military decorations were the following : Badges