Phước Long district and Phước Bình sub-sector, the VC 9th Division was ordered to attack Đồng Xoài. In 1965, Đồng Xoài was a district town situated at a road junction which 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 armoured squadron (6 armoured vehicles) and two 105mm howitzers. There were also 200 Cambodian soldiers of a Civilian Irregular Defense Group, 11 United States Army Special Forces personnel and nine men of Seabee Team 1104. Prior to the battle, the U.S Special Forces had assumed control of Đồng Xoài's defences; they stepped up guard and patrol activities, and ordered the construction of new defensive fortifications around the district headquarters, the Special Forces Camp and the armoured and artillery positions on the eastern side of the district. Battle On the evening of June 9, 1965, the VC made final preparations for their assault on Đồng Xoài. While the VC assembled their formations, U.S.-led forces inside the Special Forces Camp were suddenly placed on alert, forcing the VC to commence their attack 70 minutes earlier than scheduled. At 11:30 pm, VC heavy mortar rounds began to fall on South Vietnamese and American positions around Đồng Xoài, soon followed by an infantry assault led by the 272nd Regiment. During the initial assault, the VC sustained heavy casualties as they tried to navigate through the surrounding minefields and barb wire fences, which they had failed to pick up during previous reconnaissance missions. At about 1:30 am, two helicopter gunships from the U.S. Army's 118th Aviation Company were dispatched to support the Special Forces Camp, they fired on the VC around the compound, and returned to base only after their weapons load was emptied. At around 2:30 am, the Americans and a few of the Cambodian soldiers retreated to the district headquarters, where other local troops were holding out. Meanwhile, at Biên Hòa Air Base, all flight crews of the 118th Aviation Company were on the flightline preparing for combat assault at first light. By that time, however, the VC had captured the Special Forces compound, and they began massing for an attack on the district headquarters. While fighting raged inside the district, all flyable aircraft from the 118th Aviation Company flew out from Biên Hòa