Operation Popeye
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Operation Popeye (Operation Intermediary / Operation Compatriot) was a US military cloud seeding project (running from March 20, 1967 until July 5, 1972) during the Vietnam war to extend the monsoon season over North Vietnam, specifically the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The operation seeded Vietnamese clouds with silver iodide, resulting in the targeted areas seeing an extension of the monsoon period an average of 30 to 45 days. As the continuous rainfall slowed down the truck traffic, it was considered relatively successful.[1] The 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron carried out the operation to "make mud, not war." [2]
[edit] The Operations Objectives
Operation Popeye goal was to increase rainfall in carefully selected areas to deny the Vietnamese enemy, namely military supply trucks, the use of roads by: [3]
- Softening road surfaces
- Causing landslides along roadways
- Washing out river crossings
- Maintain saturated soil conditions beyond the normal time span.
