A C-130 crew from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska unloads one of two donated water purification system units at Tan Son Nhut Airport. The U.S. also donated 13 motorized inflatable boats for rescue operations.

The U.S. flood relief donation to Vietnam consisted of three planeloads of relief supplies. A U.S. Pacific Air Forces C-130 flew from Alaska to make two deliveries to Tan Son Nhut Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The C-130 is under the control of the 374th Air Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan. On 18 October 2000, it delivered 160 boxes of plastic tarpaulin (approximately 5,443 kg) to be used for temporary shelters for displaced persons.

On 20 October, the same aircraft flew from the Philippines to airlift two water purification units to be used by Vietnamese flood relief personnel. On 21 October, a third U.S. shipment was airlifted to Vietnam, on a chartered commercial flight. This flight delivered 13 Zodiac rescue boats with motors, which can carry approximately 10 passengers in support of flood rescue operations. Officials of Vietnam’s Red Cross organization warmly welcomed the relief flights, and soldiers from Vietnam’s Seventh Military Region assisted in unloading.