LAU-32 (Or Lau 59A) Rocket Pod
When the 23rd TASS FACs transitioned to the O-2 from the O-1, the FACs now carried two LAU-32 pods with 14 rockets instead of the 4 carried by Cricket O-1s. This allowed us to be effective through longer missions. I flew several missions in the O-2 longer than 5 hours compared with only a few that ever exceeded 3:15 in the O-1. Other types of 2.75 inch folding-fin rockets (such as flechettes or high explosives) could be loaded. However, our role was to mark targets and direct airstrikes, so we normally carried only white phosphorous rockets. A frangible streamlined nose cone could be placed over the front of the pod to break away when the first rocket was fired. We normally fired one rocket at a time, but the pods could be set for ripple-fire to launch all seven rockets with only a fraction of a second in
between.
Note from Jerry A Gaida: I believe this is a Lau-59/a launcher. We used to remove the tubes on unserviceable ones so that dried fish and rice could put in them and dropped in Laos. They weren't made to be
disassembled. A very long and tough job.
