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54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron – “Typhoon Chasers”

54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron poster art.

The 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Andersen Air Force Base, GuamPerhaps its best accomplishment was during the Vietnam War when Operation Popeye” (Project Popeye/Motorpool/Intermediary-Compatriot) was a US military cloud seeding operation (running from March 20, 1967 until July 5, 1972) to extend the monsoon season over Laos, specifically areas of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The operation seeded 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. The 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron carried out the operation to “make mud, not war.”

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Design by Max Shirkov

Texas
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