▁a ▁strong ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁Spr at ly ▁Islands , ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁inf antry ▁units ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁AR V N ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁smaller ▁islands ▁surrounding ▁the ▁main ▁Spr at ly ▁Island . ▁To ▁defend ▁the ▁islands , ▁AR V N ▁forces ▁were ▁mainly ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁small ▁inf antry ▁weapons , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁M - 7 2 ▁anti - t ank ▁weapon . ▁When ever ▁necessary , ▁the ▁R V N ▁could ▁deploy ▁the ▁destroy er ▁, ▁the ▁fr ig ates ▁, ▁ ▁and ▁, ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁cor v ettes ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁to ▁provide ▁fire ▁support . ▁The ▁R V N ▁also ▁re lied ▁on ▁two ▁transport ▁ships , ▁namely ▁the ▁ ▁and ▁, ▁to ▁transport ▁vital ▁supplies ▁and ▁rein for c ements ▁to ▁South ▁Vietnam ese ▁forces ▁on ▁Spr at ly ▁Island . ▁ ▁Battle ▁ ▁South west ▁C ay ▁On ▁April ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁three ▁V PN ▁transport ▁ships , ▁dis gu ised ▁as ▁fish ing ▁tra w lers , ▁began ▁moving ▁towards ▁South west ▁C ay ▁in ▁the ▁Spr at ly ▁Islands ▁with ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 6 th ▁and ▁ 4 7 1 st ▁Batt al ions ▁all ▁on ▁board . ▁On ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁hel ic op ters ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Se vent h ▁Fle et ▁began ▁cir cling ▁the ▁V PN ▁transport ▁ships , ▁but ▁they