On the morning of 2 July, Alpha and Bravo Companies, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines made their way up north on Highway 561 and secured a crossroad as their first objective.

1/9's commander, LtCol Richard Schening, sent out a small rescue force involving C and D Companies supported by four tanks.

[citation needed] On 3 July a USAF observer spotted more than 100 PAVN soldiers moving south from positions north of Con Thien, Battery E, 3/12 Marines fired on them killing 75 men.

[3]: 102 Also on 6 July the PAVN fired eight SA-2s from positions north of the DMZ hitting an A-4E #151032 of VMA-311 as it conducted close air support in front of 1/3's lines.

[3]: 104 On the morning of 7 July Company A was withdrawn into the Battalion perimeter just before a heavy PAVN artillery bombardment hit their ambush positions of the previous day.

7 July saw minimal ground contact and the Marines spent most of the day trying to achieve an accurate PAVN body count, but this proved difficult due to the carnage caused by the artillery and air strikes.

[3]: 102–3 On the morning of 8 July BLT 2/3 moved southwest towards the Cam Lo River when they discovered a PAVN bunker complex.

Air and artillery strikes were called in and then Company G attacked the bunkers, the PAVN lost 39 killed while the Marines suffered 2 dead and 29 wounded.

[2]: 218 1st Lt Gatlin J. Howell and SSgt Leon R. Burns were both awarded the Navy Cross for their actions during this battle.