The very thing that enabled B-24's like Lady Be Good to fly was responsible for her being found. Oil.
Lady Be Good was sighted on three different occasions by employees of British Petroleum (BP), who were flying over the Libyan desert in search of oil. The story of these men- three in particular-is intertwined with that of Lady Be Good and her crew. For, if it weren't for these oil-seekers, the fate of Lady Be Good and her crew would never come to light.
An understanding of the political situation in Libya at the time that Lady Be Good was found, is helpful in understanding the actions of some of the personalities involved.
The year was 1958. An aging king by the name of Muhammad Idris al-Mahdi a Senussi was ruling Libya. In fact, the country was composed of three defined regions which had been "federated" under the "guidance" of the United Nations. But, the king ruled this federation in the manner of a totalitarian regime.
Not surprisingly, there were rumblings of dissent, and members of the king's family were suspected of opposing him. Nonetheless, one of the king's son's was expected to be the king's successor. This was not to be; for in 1969, a 27 year-old military officer-a Colonel by the name of Muammar al Qaddafi-led a military overthrow of the king and his government.
But, back in 1958, finding new oil reserves had become extremely important to the nations which had fought during World War Two. The war had greatly depleted global oil supplies, and oil companies were scrambling to find new sources of petroleum. 1958 saw no less than sixteen oil companies scouring Libya in search of new reserves.
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