In 1965, North Vietnamese leaders planned to launch a summer offensive to destroy the regular units of the South Vietnamese military. For the first time, the newly created VC 273rd and 274th Regiments were ordered to join the 271st and 272nd Regiments to attack and establish “liberated zones” in the south.

As part of the overall plan, the VC 9th Division was ordered to attack Dong Xoai. Dong Xoai was a district town situated at a road junction that connected Inter-Provisional Road 13, National Highway 1, and Highway 14. The district was defended by 200 local Vietnamese soldiers drawn from the 327th and 328th Militia Companies, and the 111th Regional Force Company. They were supported by one armored squadron (six armored vehicles) and two 105mm howitzers.

Dong Xoai was also home to a Special Forces A-Camp, Detachment A-342, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), that housed 400 Montagnard CIDG strikers and 24 U.S. troops including Army Green Berets and Navy Seabees. The Green Berets had only been there since May 25 and the defenses were far from finished.

Marvin Shields, a Navy Seabee was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously for his valor defending the Dong Xoai camp in June 1965.
Marvin Shields, a Navy Seabee was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously for his valor defending the Dong Xoai camp in June 1965.

The Attack Begins

On the night of 9-10 June, the Viet Cong, with North Vietnamese support, attacked the base with about 2,000 guerrillas armed with AK-47s, grenades, rocket-propelled grenades, rocket launchers, and flamethrowers.