Viet Cong Terrorists Blow Up U.S. Billet at Qui Nhon

Feb. 10, 1965 - Viet Cong terrorists blew up a U.S. billet last night amid a wave of Communist attacks that killed hundreds of Vietnamese following U.S. air strikes in North Vietnam.

Rescue workers probing the rubble of the four-story hotel for American soldiers at Qui Nhon, 270 miles northeast of Saigon, said one U.S. serviceman was known dead and 15 were injured.

They said they had reached one trapped soldier and were trying to free him and were in voice contact with two more. Twenty Americans were missing, and 20 others escaped unhurt.

The toll is expected to rise as the search goes on.

Another American air strike at North Vietnam appeared imminent today in retaliation for the Viet Cong bombing of the enlisted men’s quarters.

Top U.S. officials hinted strongly that the raid would be announced later in the day. It would be the third since Sunday.

Several U.S. Navy combat jets from 7th Fleet carriers landed at Da Nang Air Base — usually a strong indication that air strikes outside South Vietnam are in the making.

Lieut. Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, said “no comment at the present time” when asked whether U.S. planes would make another retaliatory raid on North Vietnam.

Both Westmoreland and Ambassador Maxwell Taylor went to Saigon Airport to see of a group of 150 American women and children being evacuated under President Johnson’s order for withdrawal of dependents from the country.

Taylor said he had no plans to speed up the evacuation as a result of the hotel bombing.

“This is not a crisis,” he said. “It is just a continuation of Viet Cong terror tactics.”

Asked if U.S. forces were ready for any eventuality in Vietnam, Taylor replied, “We have made every effort.”

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