On 20 April the 2/501 moved its command post from LZ Sally to Quang Dien district town, replacing the 1/501 which returned to LZ Sally. Both battalions had sharp engagements that day, for a total of 7 US KIA and 42 WIA, and an enemy assessment of 53 NVA KIA and 6 NVA POWs. We heard on the 26th that the 1/502, with the 1st Brigade, had moved to FSB Bastogne.

On 21 April C/2/501 was conducting a reconnaissance in force in the vicinity of hamlets Thanh Trung and Kim Doi seven kilometers southeast of Quang Dien. At 1430 the company made contact with an estimated squad-size enemy force. It soon became evident that C Company was engaged with a larger force, perhaps company-size. As C Company, using artillery support, developed the situation, LTC Tallman, battalion commander, ordered nearby D Company into a blocking position to the hamlets’ northeast. By approximately 1900, B Company had been combat assaulted into an LZ southwest of the hamlets and A Company likewise into an LZ to their northwest. By 2030 the four companies had established an encirclement around the two hamlets. All night long the area was illuminated with a combination of artillery and helicopter-delivered flares and USAF flare aircraft. During the night the enemy directed small arms, automatic weapons, and RPG fire at the encircling force and made several unsuccessful attempts to escape.

The next day, April 22, a psyops team broadcast surrender messages to the encircled enemy, without effect, and 106 recoilless rifles were brought in for added firepower. That afternoon, with air and artillery preparation and support, A Company attacked into one hamlet; intense enemy fire blocked its advance. Meanwhile the other companies of the 2/501 in their blocking positions received heavy enemy fire. B/2/501 having been diverted to another mission, its place in the encirclement was taken by the Black Panther Company of the 1st ARVN Division. By nightfall one RF company and five PF platoons had further reinforced the cordon. That night sporadic fire was received from the encircled enemy as the area was again continuously illuminated. On April 23 the 2/501conducted coordinated attacks into the two hamlets, and on April 24 it completed the destruction of the enemy. 2/501 casualties in these four days were 12 WIA; the NVA enemy lost 74 KIA and 1 POW.

During this encirclement, other operations continued. The night of April 23d an A/1/501 ambush was moving into position when it spotted 15-20 NVA. The A Company element engaged them, saw three men fall, and called in artillery. The NVA ran to the north. The next day 7 NVA KIA and 5 SK-47s were found. That night C/501 sprung an ambush, killing 2 VC and taking one weapon.

The 101st Airborne Division reported 2d Brigade successes. From its April 26 operations summary: “B/2/501 Inf engaged an est NVA reinforced company in the village of Nam Phu. The enemy, en-trenched in fortified bunkers, employed SA, AW, and RPG fire. Co B immediately employed organic weapons fire, artillery, LFTs, and tac air, resulting in 16 NVA killed. In the same general vicinity, C/2/501 established a hasty ambush to capitalize on a target of opportunity, and engaged an NVA squad moving toward a suspected enemy strong point killing 4 enemy. While pursuing the remainder of the enemy force, Co C made heavy contact with an est NVA company,and received SA, AW, and RPG fires. Maximum supporting fires (incl artillery and tac air) were placed on the enemy position, resulting in 20 enemy killed.” Brigade noted the cost of these actions, 7 US KIA and 23 WIA