In mid-April, the 9th Marine Regiment began planning for an operation to provide security for the An Hoa Industrial Complex in western Quảng Nam province.

[1]: 93 The Marines divided up the area of operations into 20 company-sized areas and began systematic sweeps with the local South Vietnamese Popular Force, meeting minimal opposition apart from occasional mines and mortar fire.

[1]: 93–5 On 3 May as Company M was crossing the Thu Bồn River on LVTHs to search the hamlet of Phu Long (1) they were fired on by VC, later identified as coming from the R-20 Battalion.

While the operation officially concluded, the Marines established a permanent presence in the area, developing the airstrip into An Hoa Combat Base.

[1]: 96 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.