dug in on the eastern edge of An Dien Village. The 43rd Regiment was again ordered to resume the attack north, and the 7th Ranger Group, coming down from Lai Khe was ordered to take Base 82 by night attack on 27 May. Because no progress was made General Thuần on 28 May decided to try a fresh approach. First he turned the operation over to BG Đảo, told him to move his 52nd Regiment over from Phú Giáo District, gave him operational command of the 7th Ranger Group, which was still north of Base 82, and attached to Đảo's 18th Division a reinforced squadron of the 3rd Armored Brigade. Since it would take two days to relieve the 52nd Regiment on the Phú Giáo front and move it into position at Bến Cát, the new operation was scheduled for 30 May. Delays in the relief and movement forced General Đảo to move the date to 1 June. With the Rangers still holding the shallow bridgehead opposite Bến Cát and the 43rd Regiment making slow progress attacking the dug-in PAVN 272nd Regiment south of An Dien. General Đảo sent the 2nd Battalion, 52nd Regiment across the Thi Thinh River on an assault bridge south of Bến Cát on 1 June. Once across, it turned north to attack the defenses of the PAVN 95C Regiment in An Dien. Meanwhile, the reconnaissance company and an infantry company from the 18th Division crossed the An Dien bridge and advanced toward the village. Casualties on both sides were heavy as the commander of the 52nd Regiment committed his 1st Battalion behind the 2nd. The PAVN responded by assaulting the ARVN infantry that night with infantry and at least 10 tanks. The two battalions of the 52nd held their positions and were reinforced by the 3rd Battalion the next afternoon. Meanwhile, ARVN combat engineers were clearing the road past the An Dien bridge. Working at night with flash lights to avoid PAVN observation and fire, they removed 38 antitank mines from the route of advance. Weakened by casualties, the 52nd Infantry made very little progress on 2 and 3 June, and the 43rd Regiment was still being blocked by the PAVN 272nd Regiment. Đảo then ordered his 48th Infantry across the Thi Thinh south of Bến Cát, to pass through the 52nd and take An Dien. While the PAVN artillery continued to pound ARVN positions,