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(Continued from Page 27) Tensions in the Middle East remained high throughout the 1980s and Tomcats were once again flying CAP and Reconnaissance missions, this time over Syria. On December 3, 1983, a pair of F-14As assigned to VF-31 were fired upon by Syrian surface-to-air missile sites and anti-aircraft artillery. The Tomcats recovered aboard the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) having suffered no damage. The following day a retaliatory air strike was conducted on these positions with Combat Air Patrol provided by Tomcats.
On October 10, 1985, F-14As from VF-74 and VF-103 were launched from the deck of the USS Saratoga CV-60). Their mission was to intercept an Egypt Air Boeing 737 carrying the hijackers who had taken over the cruise ship, MS Achille Lauro. This hijacking resulted in the death of an American Leon Klinghoffer. Intelligence sources discovered the hijackers were attempting to escape Egypt, seeking refuge in Tunisia. With the aid of an EA-6B Prowler and E-2C Hawkeye, the Egypt Air 737 was successfully intercepted and diverted to Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, and the hijackers were taken into custody.
On March 24, 1986, Tomcats assigned to VF-102 were fired upon by Libyan SA-5 surface-to-air missiles while taking part in Freedom of Navigation exercises in the Gulf of Sidra. This incident, the bombing of the “La Belle Discothèque,” in West Berlin, plus other events, led directly to OPERATION EL DORADO CANYON, U.S. air strikes on Libya which included Combat Air Patrols provided by Tomcats from VF-33, VF-102, VF-74 and VF-103.