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*Napalm is gasoline chemically thickened or "jellied" so that it will spread over the ground while burning, instead of going up in an instantaneous whoosh, as ordinary gasoline would. The first satisfactory thickener found during experiments in World War II was a mixture of aluminum naphthenate and certain fatty compounds from coconuts, hence the name "napalm" (nap from naphthenate, and palm referring to the coconuts). In Korea, napalm is carried under the wings of Air Force, Navy and Marine tactical planes, in containers of 100 or 150 gallons, and is set off (when the containers hit the ground) by white phosphorus igniters. A napalm bomb can cover up to half an acre with fire burning at 3,000° F. U.S. airmen and G.I.s love it; there is plenty of evidence that the Reds hate and fear it more than any other weapon in the U.S. ground-support arsenal.
