The Son My relic site in the central province of Quang Ngai (Photo: VNA) Quang Ngai (VNA) – A house of worshipdedicated to 504 civilians killed in Son My massacre was inaugurated in thecentral province of Quang Ngai on March 15.
Covering an area of 200 sq.m in Son My relicsite in Quang Ngai city’s Tinh Khe commune, the house was built at a cost of5.5 billion VND (241,500 USD).
Thekillings that occurred on March 16, 1968 in My Lai hamlet (now Son My village,Tinh Khe commune) prompted widespread outrage around the world. The massacre wasalso credited with advancing the end of the American War because itsignificantly undermined public support in the US for the war.
Some 504 unarmed civilians in Tinh Khecommune were killed, mostly elderly villagers, women and children. Hundreds ofhouses, along with thousands of heads of cattle and poultry, and all food, wereburned and destroyed.
The Son My relic site welcomes more than200,000 visitors per year, being the most-visited historical destination in theprovince.
On this occasion, Madison Quarkers Incpresented 600 scholarships to students in Tinh Khe and neighbouring communes.The charitable organisation was founded by Mike Boehm, an American veteran inthe Vietnam war, who has worked to raise funds for poor women and children inQuang Ngai province and Son My in particular.-VNA
