Go Noi Island was located approximately 25 km south of Danang to the west of Highway 1, together with the area directly north of the island, nicknamed Dodge City by the Marines due to frequent ambushes and firefights there, it was a Vietcong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) stronghold and base area.

[1]: 328 On the morning of 4 May 1968 two Companies of the 2nd Battalion 7th Marines supported by tanks crossed the Liberty Bridge (15°50′28″N 108°07′16″E / 15.841°N 108.121°E / 15.841; 108.121) onto the island meeting only light resistance for the first few days.

Company I, 3/27 Marines was leading the column when it was ambushed by a strongly entrenched PAVN force near the hamlet of Le Nam (1) (15°51′14″N 108°12′36″E / 15.854°N 108.21°E / 15.854; 108.21).

The Marines altered their tactics so that when the enemy was encountered they would hold their positions or pull back to allow air and artillery to deal with the entrenched forces.

[1]: 335 Intelligence later determined that the PAVN force encountered by the Marines was the 36th Regiment, 308th Division which had only recently arrived in South Vietnam and that they were probably deployed in preparation for an attack on Danang as part of the "mini-Tet" or May Offensive.

During early June the 1/26 and 1/27 Marines carried out ongoing search and clear operations on the island with regular ambushes by small PAVN/Vietcong forces.

[1]: 339 On 5 June as the Marine Battalions moved west along the island they were ambushed by a PAVN force at the hamlet of Cu Ban (3), due to the proximity of the enemy forces supporting fire was ineffective and a confused close-quarters battle raged throughout the day until tanks allowed the Marines to overrun the enemy positions.

[1]: 342 Land clearing operations on Go Noi continued into August by which time much of the island had been completely levelled and seeded with herbicides.

While much of their infrastructure had been destroyed the PAVN/VC continued to resist until the last as the Marines and Engineers withdrew across the Liberty Bridge harassed by sniper fire.

[1]: 343 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.