 The Operational Detachment Alpha-224, 5th Special Forces Group first established a base at Đức Cơ in December 1964 to monitor communist infiltration along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.In late May 1965 the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) besieged the camp which was defended by the 5th Special Forces Detachment A-215 and Civilian Irregular Defense Group program (CIDG) forces.On 3 August a force of Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Paratroopers with Major Norman Schwarzkopf as senior military adviser was sent to relieve the camp.