Following a II Field Force, Vietnam planning conference on 16 March the 11th ACR received its final orders.

[1]: 2 On the afternoon of 17 March four LOHs and one UH-1 command and control helicopter began the initial reconnaissance of the 11th ACR's area of operation.

[1]: 3–4 [2]: 1 [3] On 18 March Company A, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment was landed to clear three chokepoints leading from Route 13 west into the plantation.

The air cavalry team performed a bomb damage assessment and the aero-rifle platoon and Minh Thanh CIDG Company were landed in the area.

[1]: 5 On 22 March the 1st Squadron continued bomb damage assessment and the air cavalry troop made contact with PAVN carrying litters.

[1]: 5 On 23 March the air cavalry troop unsuccessfully tried to acquire targets between the Michelin Plantation and Minh Thanh.

[1]: 8 The PAVN claim that they had killed over 2,000 enemy, mostly Americans, destroyed more than 210 military vehicles and shot down 12 aircraft during the operation.