6 th ▁Battalion ▁successfully ▁land ed ▁on ▁Sand ▁C ay . ▁One ▁hour ▁later , ▁they ▁opened ▁their ▁attack ▁and ▁the ▁AR V N ▁were ▁easily ▁defeated , ▁suffering ▁ 2 ▁death s ▁and ▁ 2 3 ▁captured . ▁ ▁The ▁loss ▁of ▁South west ▁C ay ▁and ▁Sand ▁C ay , ▁in ▁combination ▁with ▁the ▁defe ats ▁suffered ▁by ▁the ▁AR V N ▁on ▁the ▁main land , ▁placed ▁the ▁R V N ▁in ▁a ▁complex ▁and ▁difficult ▁position . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁at ▁ 8 . 4 5   pm ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁R V N ▁ships ▁in ▁the ▁Spr at ly ▁Island ▁area ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁ev acu ate ▁the ▁AR V N ▁ 3 7 1 st ▁Local ▁Battalion ▁and ▁withdraw ▁from ▁Nam y it ▁and ▁Sin ▁C owe . ▁While ▁the ▁R V N ▁were ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁withdraw ▁from ▁Spr at ly ▁Island , ▁V PN ▁reconna issance ▁units ▁sent ▁reports ▁back ▁to ▁H ano i , ▁inform ing ▁the ▁naval ▁command ▁of ▁R V N ▁ships ▁leaving ▁their ▁positions ▁in ▁Nam y it ▁and ▁Sin ▁C owe . ▁Upon ▁hearing ▁the ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Vietnam ese ▁withdraw al , ▁the ▁V PN ▁command ▁ordered ▁the ▁ 1 2 6 th ▁Battalion ▁to ▁capture ▁the ▁remaining ▁islands . ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 7 ▁and ▁ 2 8 , ▁the ▁P AV N ▁ 1 2 6 th ▁Battalion ▁march ed ▁onto ▁Nam y it ▁and ▁Sin