▁B ế n ▁Tre ▁Province ). ▁From ▁ 5 – 7 ▁October ▁another ▁encounter ▁with ▁the ▁V C ▁ 2 6 3 rd ▁Battalion ▁resulted ▁and ▁the ▁Al lies ▁reported ▁ 1 6 3 ▁V C ▁killed ▁while ▁losing ▁seven . ▁ ▁Background ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁N gu yen ▁Manh ▁Th anh , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁AR V N ▁ 7 th ▁Division , ▁was ▁given ▁information ▁that ▁the ▁V C ▁ 2 6 3 rd ▁Main ▁Force ▁Battalion ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁Cam ▁Son ▁and ▁Ban ▁Long ▁in ▁the ▁past ▁ 1 0 – 1 4 ▁days . ▁Although ▁this ▁was ▁based ▁mainly ▁on ▁possible ▁double ▁agents , ▁the ▁MR F ▁had ▁found ▁it ▁highly ▁reliable ▁in ▁ident ifying ▁enemy ▁base ▁areas . ▁In ▁ Đ ị n h ▁T ư ờ ng ▁Province ▁particularly ▁the ▁force ▁repeatedly ▁had ▁found ▁the ▁V C ▁in ▁regions ▁reported ▁to ▁be ▁base ▁areas . ▁ ▁Operation ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁September , ▁the ▁MR F ▁entered ▁the ▁Ban ▁Long ▁area ▁with ▁three ▁batt al ions . ▁The ▁ 3 rd ▁and ▁ 5 th ▁Batt al ions ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 0 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment , ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Brigade , ▁used ▁hel ic opter ▁and ▁over land ▁movement ▁to ▁access ▁the ▁major ▁east - west ▁for ested ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁Ban ▁Long ▁area . ▁This ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁assault ▁craft ▁of ▁the ▁force ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁navigate ▁the ▁local ▁water