[3] On 2 March 1969, A, B & D Companies, 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment left their staging area at Polei Kleng Camp and were transported to their insertion point at YA793879 (14°20′56″N 107°35′20″E / 14.349°N 107.589°E / 14.349; 107.589).

The patrol encountered two PAVN soldiers at what appeared to be an enemy observation post with a cooking pot and a sleeping area prepared in the brush.

As the company moved up the ridge line they took sniper fire from the northeast on their left flank, even so they were able to reach 3rd platoon’s position at the log.

[5][4][7] As the only officer left in the fight Williams took command of the remainder of A Company and ordered them to withdraw back to their night position.

Artillery and gunships were called in around the contact area, but not upon it for fear of hitting any surviving men left on the hill.

The Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Pennel J. Hickey flew overhead in an attempt to direct actions on the ground for a Medical evacuation.

[4][5][6][7] On the morning of 4 March, Williams was ordered to advance back up the ridge line to retrieve the wounded and killed from the day before.

The PAVN used weapons and ammunition captured during the battle the day before including M79 grenade launcher and M60 machine gun to assault their position.

The initial attempt was thwarted when the lead helicopter reported taking heavy fire at the landing zone.

The ruse broke morale and caused one man to bolt into the forest, after this A Company’s northern perimeter collapsed.

The battle continued for the rest of the day with mortar and rocket fire as well as snipers taking shots at the entrenched unit.

Medevac and resupply helicopters took heavy fire during the day and one was forced to make an emergency landing when its fuel tank was hit.

Task Force Swift, made up of elements of the 3rd Battalion 12th Infantry Regiment, moved overland to positions southeast of the hill, now named LZ Brace, to cut off and destroy any retreating PAVN soldiers.

[4] On the final day of the battle, Task Force Swift was extracted to LZ Brace and helped B and C Companies secure the rest of the hill.

[4] The main factor that contributed to the rout of A Company was that LZ Brace had been the headquarters of the PAVN 66th Infantry Regiment.

It is estimated that A Company came into contact with a battalion sized force in a prepared position of inter connected bunkers.

[4] Other factors include the inability to call in artillery fire directly on the location after the contact, so as to not kill wounded troops left on the hill and the capture of friendly radio equipment that allowed the PAVN to monitor US communications and employ a successful ruse de geurre against an already beleaguered A Company.

[7] These including the 3 wounded evacuated the previous night,[6] 3 Missing in action who later made their way back to friendly territory[5] and PFC.

Williams, who made an assessment of their number after their original firefight, estimated 35 Killed in action, 5 wounded and 20 missing.

[6][7] Despite this, the official after action report by Colonel Hale H. Knight, states that A Company sustained only 22 killed and 52 wounded.