The Tuy Hòa Valley was an important rice-growing region and in 1965 People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong forces had requisitioned much of the harvest to feed their troops.

[1]: 186 On 6 February, a platoon from Company B, 2/502nd, came under fire as it approached the hamlet of Canh Tanh 4 (13°02′56″N 109°19′59″E / 13.049°N 109.333°E / 13.049; 109.333), approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Tuy Hòa.

Air and artillery strikes were called in and reinforcements from Company B and Tiger Force of 1/327th commanded by Major David Hackworth were landed by helicopter nearby.

Tiger Force was ordered to renew the attack and the unit commander, Lieutenant James A. Gardner, personally destroyed four machine gun positions with grenades before being killed; he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.

The following morning after air and artillery strikes U.S. forces entered My Canh 2, the PAVN had abandoned the position overnight leaving 63 bodies and 60 weapons.