Sơn Trà was a fishing village located approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Chu Lai Base Area.
The village was defended by 14 United States Marines of a Combined Action Platoon (CAP) and 30 Popular Force troops and there were also about 35 Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (CORDS) workers and a small group of People's Self-Defense Forces.
Other villagers fled toward the CAP position, blocking the forces there from engaging the attackers.
Soldiers from the 198th Light Infantry Brigade were landed at the CAP position by helicopters approximately 30 minutes after the attack began but they waited until dawn to move into the village.
570 homes were destroyed in the attack and the resulting fires leaving almost 2,800 people homeless.