th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment , ▁entered ▁the ▁Rach ▁Ba ▁R ai ▁ab o ard ▁arm ored ▁tro op ▁carri ers ▁( AT C s ). ▁Finally , ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁higher ▁degree ▁of ▁flex ibility ▁in ▁case ▁the ▁V C ▁was ▁found , ▁the ▁ 2 / 6 0 th ▁Infantry , ▁ 3 rd ▁Brigade , ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁reserve ▁force ▁by ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division . ▁If ▁required , ▁this ▁batt alion ▁would ▁be ▁deployed ▁by ▁hel ic opter , ▁st aging ▁from ▁ Đ ồ ng ▁T â m ▁after ▁moving ▁from ▁the ▁batt alion ' s ▁base ▁in ▁Long ▁An ▁Province . ▁▁ ▁Key ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁man eu ver ▁were ▁the ▁landing ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 / 6 0 th ▁Infantry ▁north ▁of ▁an ▁east ward ▁b end ▁in ▁the ▁Rach ▁Ba ▁R ai ▁and ▁the ▁movement ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 / 6 0 th ▁Infantry ▁from ▁the ▁n ortheast . ▁Both ▁batt al ions ▁would ▁attack ▁into ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁tree ▁lines ▁which ▁the ▁American ▁pl ann ers ▁believed ▁had ▁been ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁commun ists ▁in ▁the ▁past ▁to ▁escape ▁fighting . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁ 3 / 6 0 th ▁Infantry , ▁moved ▁up ▁the ▁Rach ▁Ba ▁R ai ▁at ▁approximately ▁ 0 7 : 1 5 ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁September , ▁fire ▁was ▁with h eld , ▁and ▁the ▁assault ▁craft ▁moved ▁stead ily ▁around ▁S no opy ' s ▁N ose . ▁By ▁ 0 7 : 3 0 ▁the ▁lead ▁boats