Project Waterpump (alternately, Operation Waterpump, or simply Waterpump) was a secretive support operation by the U.S. Air Force to train and nurture into existence the Royal Lao Air Force (RLAF). The United States had decided to covertly support the Kingdom of Laos in the Laotian Civil War as the Lao fended off a North Vietnamese invasion. The nascent RLAF was seen as a force multiplier but needed pilots and technicians. The 40-man Detachment 6, 1st Air Commando Wing, code named Waterpump, was forwarded to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base for this training duty in March 1964. They would remain on duty through the truce of 21 February 1973. Their first hasty assignment was transition training to the T-28 Trojan for American civilian pilots; the resulting A Team would exist through 1967. The Air Commandos also conducted final training for Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) mercenary pilots; the resultant B Team would serve until 1970. Besides putting a polish on graduate pilots, the Waterpump detachment trained Lao pilots from scratch. The RLAF's high pilot casualty rate made bringing the RLAF rosters up to strength a long grind.
Waterpump grew beyond its original training mission. From 19–29 July 1964, some Air Commandos were smuggled into Laos as an improvised Tactical Air Control Party for Operation Triangle. The success of the endeavor led to a forward air control system being set up for the war's duration. Some Waterpump personnel were later infiltrated into Laos to help staff regional Air Operation Centers. With Waterpump help, by war's end the RLAF had grown from 20 to 75 T-28 strike aircraft; it also operated ten AC-47 gunships and 71 support aircraft.
ProjectWaterpump (alternately, Operation Waterpump, or simply Waterpump) was a secretive support operation by the U.S. Air Force to train and nurture...
military evolution took place during mid-March 1964, when the USAF began ProjectWaterpump, a program to train Laotian, Thai, Hmong, and Air America aircrews...
to Brigadier General by King Sisavong. On 1 April, the USAF set up ProjectWaterpump, which was a pilot training program at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force...
Vang Pao had already requested training slots for Hmong cadets at ProjectWaterpump at Udorn, and had been refused. Lair quietly scrounged a couple of...
the air attaché, Colonel Robert Tyrell. Two American pilots from ProjectWaterpump in Udorn, Thailand were forwarded to the Neutralists to fly O-1 Bird...
engine, but power reportedly increased. The redesign kept the unusual waterpump arrangement, which consisted of a cast aperture in the block, and the...
Base in August 1966. Belatedly promoted to major, he joined Operation Waterpump to train the Royal Lao Air Force. During this time Secord was detailed...
Operation Waterpump also forwarded its four T-28s to the RLAF. Two days later, ten surplus T-28s arrived from South Vietnam; four were retained by Waterpump so...
for 40 horses, and employed three ostlers and four postboys. A thatched waterpump was built in 1911 at Carr's Corner in memory of John Soame by his uncle...
06K 145 722 P 06K 145 722 S 06K 145 722 T 06K 145 874 F 06K 145 874 N Waterpump/thermostat An all-new engine designed by AUDI AGs high-performance subsidiary...
Retrieved 30 April 2016. Malaws, B.A. (12 August 2005) [1981]. "Melingriffith Waterpump". National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW). Royal Commission on the Ancient...
Alain brought it in steaming and leaking water - stymied by a detached waterpump belt. After 80 minutes of trying, the mechanics had to give up. TWR had...
farm was built at Spanish Fork in 2008. The 306 MW Milford Wind Corridor Project has been the largest wind farm in Utah since its completion in 2011. Source:...
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