 By January 1972 the ARVN 3rd Division had assumed responsibility for the area north of Highway 9.The PAVN launched their Easter Offensive on 30 March 1972 and by midday on 1 April the ARVN garrison at Gio Linh had retreated from their perimeter positions to the base's bunkers, while the 5-man ANGLICO team continued to call in fire missions against the advancing PAVN.PAVN forces were probing the base perimeter when an Army Bell UH-1 Iroquois arrived to evacuate the ANGLICO team, just as the team was boarding the helicopter the landing zone was hit by mortar fire mortally wounding the team leader.