In early June U.S. intelligence learned that the Viet Cong (VC) 271st Regiment, 9th Division was moving into the area north of Phước Vĩnh.

1st Infantry Division commander Major General John H. Hay decided to launch a preemptive attack.

[1]: 342 [2]: 5–450 On the morning of 17 June, preceded by a moving barrage, the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, entered LZ X-Ray.

At 13:00, the VC attacked, penetrating the northern and northwestern perimeters before being forced back by artillery and gunship support.

At 13:45, air strikes forced the VC to begin to withdraw and they disengaged under cover of a steady mortar barrage.