Sơn Trà was a fishing village located approximately southeast of Chu Lai Base Area. It had a population of approximately 4,000 people, including many resettled refugees. 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. The villagers had previously refused to provide aid and recruits to the VC who had threatened to burn the village down.
