SOUTH VIETNAM: AFTERMATH OF VIETCONG ATTACK ON SAIGON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Record ID: 355309

  • Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: AFTERMATH OF VIETCONG ATTACK ON SAIGON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
  • Date: 19th February 1968
  • Summary: 1. MS (PAN) SHELLED AREA - RUBBLE 0.08 2. MS MORE FLATTENED BUILDINGS (THREE SHOTS) 0.16 3. CU CHAPEL - NOTE CANDLESTANDS ON TABLE (THREE SHOTS) 0.30 4. MLS BUILDING PARTLY DAMAGED (TWO SHOTS) 0.38 5. MLS DAMAGED TERMINAL BUILDING (THREE SHOTS) 0.48 6. LS DAMAGED PLANES (FOUR SHOTS) 0.59 7. MS TOTALLY DAMAGED JET FIGHTERS (F
  • Embargoed: 5th March 1968 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM
  • Country: Vietnam
  • Reuters ID: LVAEL4U5U5WJCCJP38L0M3QZQRRD
  • Story Text: THE VIETCONG, IN A FRESH WAVE OF ATTACKS THROUGHOUT SOUTH VIETNAM, TODAY (MONDAY) AGAIN SHELLED SAIGON'S TAN SON NHUT AIRPORT KILLING ONE AMERICAN SOLDIER AND WOUNDING ANOTHER 21.

    THE ROCKET PENETRATED THE ROOF AND SPRAYED SHRAPHEL OVER THE APPROXIMATELY 150 BY 30 YARD CONCOURSE WHERE THE SOLDIERS WERE WAITING FOR A PLANE HOME AFTER COMPLETING THEIR DUTY TOURS IN VIETNAM.

    THE ROCKET WAS ONE OF 11 WHICH GUERRILLAS FIRED AT THE AIRPORT FROM MIDNIGHT ONWARDS.

    THIS FILM OF SAIGON AIRPORT WAS SHOT YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) WHEN THE VIETCONG RENEWED THEIR ATTACKS ON 37 TOWNS AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS STRETCHING FROM THE MEKONG DELTA TO SOME 300 MILES NORTH OF SAIGON.

    THE 100 BOMBS AND ROCKETS WHICH HIT THE AIRBASE, KILLED ONE AMERICAN AIRMAN AND WOUNDED ANOTHER 60. SEVERAL BUILDINGS WERE FLATTENED, INCLUDING THE INTER-DENOMINATIONAL CHAPEL, A WOODEN BUILDING CAPABLE OF HOLDING 200 PEOPLE. IT TOOK A DIRECT HIT AND BURNED TO THE GROUND.

    THREE AMERICAN AND ONE SOUTH VIETNAMESE AIRCRAFT WERE DESTROYED.

    THE HEADQUARTERS OF GENERAL WILLIAM WESTMORELAND, THE AMERICAN COMMANDER IN VIETNAM, WAS ALSO HIT.

    ANOTHER FOUR AMERICANS WERE WOUNDED IN THE ATTACK ON THE NEARBY 25 MILLION DOLLAR (10,400,000 STERLING) COMMAND HEADQUARTERS. BUT THE COMPLEX, DUBBED "PENTAGON EAST", WAS REPORTED ONLY SLIGHTLY DAMAGED.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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