Title
Long Vei, Huong Hoa District, Quang Tri Province
Content
The most extensive relief operation took place at Long Vei in the Huong Hoa District of Quang Tri Province. On the evening of March 2, Long Vei was mistakenly bombed by two friendly aircraft which resulted in a number of villagers being killed and wounded and the destruction of over 140 homes and buildings. A U.S. Army Special Forces camp, which adjoined the village, also sustained hits as a result of the bombs being dropped. Initial assistance was provided to the villagers by members of the Special Forces Detachment A-101. A III MAF unit, Sub Unit 5, Headquarters Battalion, 3d Marine Division, was notified of the unfortunate attack and immediately dispatched assistance into the stricken area. Approximately 20 minutes after the bombing, 4 Marine Corps helicopters were on the scene and commenced MEDEVAC operations, but bad weather and ground fog in the area halted the helicopters after their initial effort. A KC-130 aircraft was able to land near the village and evacuated 53 of the injured before the weather closed in and halted all air operations. Although aircraft were unable to provide continued immediate relief, a convoy of Marine trucks from the 12th Marines and Sub Unit 5 of the 3d Division arrived on the scene and evacuated more than 100 of the injured to the base at Khe Sanh. Further evacuation attempts were prevented on March 2 as a result of two VC mortar attacks which were launched against the base at Khe Sanh. On March 3, KC-130 aircraft were able to land in the stricken area. By mid-morning, all of the injured who required evauation were airlifted to hospitals in Phu Bai and DaNang. On the same day, relief supplies furnished by III MAF begain to arrive in Long Vei by KC-130s. These supplies included rice, bags of salt, pots and pans, eating utensils, cooking oil, tool kits and lumber. Much of this material was furnished to the disaster area by OCO and the World Relief Commission. In further attempts to provide assistance to the stricken area, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps heavy equipment was dispatched to the scene on March 3 to aid in rescue and relief work. The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Contingency Relief Force [CRF] also arrived the same day and made a significant contribution to the relief operation. The CRF provided labor and security and assisted in the distribution of food and the burial of the dead. The U.S. Army 29th Civil Affairs Company provided coordination assistance in the area from March 3 until March 21 [CPT Samuel Austin, PSG Myron C. Gaddis, SP5 Bill Skinner, PFC Angelo B. Falbo and PFC John T. Richel]. By that time the primary coordination for relief and rebuilding efforts had reverted to to the U.S. Advisors for the GVN. Even though a change had been made for coordinating the relief work, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps trucks and heavy equipment, along with their operators, remained in the area and continued the rebuilding of Long Vei village.
