I'm a long time reader but its my first time posting. Thought the group would enjoy this story a co-worker told me. I've known him 10 years, and see
no reason why he would lie:
He was drafted (Vietnam) in the summer between finishing his undergrad and starting grad school. Since he had a physical science degree (geophysics)
he was sent to an Army research facility (he didn't say where). He was assigned to work on a project testing various ways to enhance cloud seeding.
The idea was that the military would seed the clouds and cause flash floods along the trail networks used by the VC.
They came up with some new seeding techniques and went to test them somewhere in the Southwest (Utah,Nevada...he didn't say). During one of their
tests, they caused so much rain that a flash flood developed and ended up killing some cattle that was at a nearby ranch. Of course, they were
terrified that their project was now going to be exposed by the press. As it turns out, the only press outlet that investigated the story was the
National Enquirer. They were thrilled, since they knew that nobody would believe the story if it was in the Enquirer. Soon after, the war was
basically over and the project was cancelled.
Moral of the story: Just because you see something in a tabloid, don't immediately dismiss it. Of course, this story is probably the exception more
than the rule!
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You're right, cloud seeding did occur during the vietnam war by introducing silver iodide into clouds to stimulate the growth of water vapour into
low level clouds.
I seriously doubt that it caused a flash flood though as the success rate of cloud seeding is not that great. I dont really understand why they did do
it in the first place actually.....Vietnam is in the tropics and heavy rain and flooding is common in the wet season (I live in tropical
Australia).
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There was a USAF project in Vietnam called "Operation Popeye", that the attempt was to increase rainfall over the Ho Chi Minh trail to try to make
it impassable, through seeding of thunderstorms.
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