In the days leading up to the attack the USS America (CV 66) and USS Coral Sea (CV 43) deliberately made as much noise as possible to focus the world's attention on Sixth Fleet.

While Qaddafi and the world focused on the U.S. Sixth Fleet, the Air Force completed staging of its strike, support, and tankers in England.

Then, on the morning of 14 April the two battle groups terminated flight operations, imposed strict emissions control, and commenced high-speed runs to their launch points off Libya. The USS America went around the western tip of Sicily, while the USS Coral Sea made maximum speed through the crowded Strait of Messina. As soon as they were out of sight of land the two carriers began to arm the aircraft on their flight decks.

The S-3A's of VS-32 "Maulers" from the USS America were detached to NAS Sigonella, Sicily. They, along with the P-3C squadron stationed there, swept ahead of the two battle groups searching for Soviet surveillance ships.

The two carriers left their Soviet trawler shadows bobbing in their wake as they disappeared over the horizon. In addition, they avoided a Soviet Sovremennyy-class and a Kashin-class destroyer operating near Sicily as they raced to their launch positions.

On 14 April European foreign ministers met to discuss what to do to discourage Libyan support for terrorism. The resulting package of sanctions fell far short of the United States wanted. Unbeknownst to them, as the sun set in the west, the time for talk and handwringing was over.