 Meanwhile, on 4 October 1/2nd Infantry made contact with a company-sized VC formation about south-west of Chon Thanh, and claimed to have killed 12 enemy soldiers.To pursue the retreating VC formation, Lt. Col. Richard E. Cavazos, commander of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, was instructed to conduct an air-assault into a clearing located about west of 1/2nd Infantry, in order to block enemy troops.1/18th Infantry landed unopposed, and they immediately set up their standard field position with wire entanglements to protect the base.