1965 Qui Nhơn hotel bombing

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1965 Qui Nhơn hotel bombing

During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong bombed the Viet Cuong Hotel in Qui Nhơn on the evening of February 10, 1965. The four-story hotel, also called the Viet Cuong Hotel ("Strength of Vietnam"), was used as a U.S. Army enlisted men’s billet. Many staying there were from the 140th Transportation Detachment, which supported the 117th Assault Helicopter Company at Qui Nhơn Airfield.

The attack followed the Camp Holloway raid and the U.S. Flaming Dart strikes. At 8:05 p.m., Viet Cong attackers killed South Vietnamese guards outside, planted satchel charges at the main door, and detonated a 100-pound charge next to the central staircase, the building’s main support. The blast caused the entire hotel to collapse.

Two Viet Cong attackers were killed by machine-gun fire from a U.S. sentry on the roof. In all, 23 U.S. service members died, along with seven Vietnamese civilians, and two Viet Cong attackers were killed.

In retaliation, President Johnson ordered Flaming Dart II, and all U.S. dependents in South Vietnam were brought back to the United States.