SAIGON -- Nearly 150 American and south Vietnamese planes bombed military targets in North Viet Nam today in reprisal for a Viet Cong terrorist attack on a U.S. Army billet. Heavy damage was inflicted in the air raid, largest such action of the war.
The Defense Department in Washington said "heavy fires" were observed In one area north of the 17lh parallel dividing Viet Nam and "moderate" fires in two other areas. The target areas -- staging areas for Communist troops infiltrating into South Viet Nam -- were left in smoking ruins.
The attacks were ordered by President. Johnson after suicide squads of Communist terrorists blew up a four-story U.S. Army billet. Wednesday night in Qui Nhon, 275 miles northeast of Saigon. As many as 28 Americans were feared dead in the blast,
Two were- known dead, 23 were missing and 8 wore injured. The blast also killed II Vietnamese.
Use Human Shield
A Communist amphibious force tried lo attack Qui Nhon today hut was driven off by U.S. Army helicopters and Vietnamese artillery. The attackers used a human shield of 400 civilians.
Today's attacks were carried out by 28 Vietnamese Sky raiders and 20 U.S. Air Force F100 'jets from the Da Nang Air Base and by 100 American carrier-based planes operating from three 7th Fleet carriers in the China Sea -- the Ranger, Coral Sea and Hancock.
The Navy lost four planes but. recovered all but one of the pilots. A South Vietnamese air force official said all of the land-based planes returned safely. Pilots reported anti-aircraft fire ranging from heavy to light to moderate. It was not known if any planes were hit by the flak.
The Communist Vietnamese news agency claimed five planes shot down and reported the capture of an American flier it identified as Robert H. Schtimaker, serial No. 9131615 and registration No. 54895. It and registration No. 548955. It bombed and strafed the Dong Hoi area, burning houses.
The Communist agency said American warships cruising of of the city "fiercely shelled" the nearby village of Nvu Thuy.
Hit Chan Hoa
Today's target area was Chan Hoa, about 70 miles 1 inside North Viet Nam. Dong Hoi was hit by a 49-plane navy strike on Sunday ordered in reprisal against a Viet Cong attack on the U.S. air base at Pleiku in which eight Americans were killed.
The Defense Department said the Air Force hit Chap Le, a barracks complex just north of Vinh Linh which was hit Monday by U.S. Air Force and Vietnamese planes.
Both target areas are on the coast. They were described as complexes engaged in training, supply, maintenance and staging activities to support the Viet Cong war in the south.
The Defense Department spokesman described the Navy attack as "very successful" and said the Air Force elements reported a "successful" mission. The Navy struck at 2' p.m. (1 a.m. EST) and the Air Force at 4 p.m. (3 a.m. EST).
The planes attacked through bad weather with broken cloud ceilings at about 2,500 feet. Seven types of aircraft were involved in the actual attack mission and in attacks on antiaircraft positions, in combat air patrol, on escort duty, reconaissance, and rescue operations.
