American Samoa Tsunami Victims Receiving Tents

Federal recovery teams were to deliver tents and other shelter materials to 75 American Samoa families from tsunami-ravaged villages who have been staying in emergency shelters, authorities said Tuesday.

The first delivery of the materials _ to 22 families _ occurred Monday, six days after a deadly tsunami hit the U.S. territory, as well as neighboring Samoa and Tonga.

Many victims of the disaster have been anxious to return to their property to begin the clean up and recovery process.

Gov. Togiola Tulafono on Tuesday called for public patience and cooperation as the materials were being assembled to help those most in need.

One of the villages on Tuesday's list was Leone, where about 100 residents gathered Monday evening for a memorial service. A list released during the service showed the village was home to 11 of the 32 people killed in American Samoa.

"The purpose of the service was to pray for the village, because there is a lot of suffering, not only physical but also emotional, psychological and spiritual," Monsieur Etuale Lealofi of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Leone said after the service. "There are a lot of questions as to why this, why here, why us."

A memorial service in Pago Pago was to be held next week, village leader Pulu Ae Ae Jr. said.

Ae said he has offered his family burial ground to any foreigner killed in the tsunami, including a Filipino woman who died inside a Pago Pago sewing shop.