 However the assault forces found that the bombardment had hardly dented the thick foliage, and the helicopters were unable to land.Eventually, additional air strikes opened holes in the jungle canopy wide enough to allow the men to reach the ground by scrambling down rope ladders suspended from the hovering helicopters.Once deployed, the three battalions, soon joined by 1/5th Cavalry, searched the area and found little, although an ARVN unit near the Tra O Marsh killed about 50 PAVN who were attempting to flee the dragnet.