▁III ▁Corps ▁was ▁ready ▁to ▁commit ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁three ▁Div isions ▁( 5 th , ▁ 1 8 th ▁and ▁ 2 5 th ) ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁engaged ▁one , ▁two ▁or ▁all ▁three ▁divisions ▁into ▁the ▁battle field . ▁General ▁Tr í ▁the ▁III ▁Corps ▁Commander ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁hel ic opter ▁accident ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁General ▁Min h , ▁who ▁replaced ▁General ▁Tr í , ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁follow ▁through ▁with ▁the ▁l uring ▁plan , ▁when ▁ 8 th ▁Task ▁Force ▁was ▁succeed ing ▁in ▁attract ing ▁the ▁enemy ▁who ▁gathered ▁two ▁Div isions ▁( 5 th ▁and ▁ 7 th ) ▁around ▁S nu ol . ▁The ▁be le ag uer ed ▁troops ▁of ▁ 8 th ▁Task ▁Force , ▁when ▁neither ▁rescue ▁column ▁nor ▁B - 5 2 ▁bom bers ▁were ▁in ▁sight , ▁were ▁about ▁to ▁raise ▁the ▁white ▁flag ▁to ▁surrender ▁to ▁the ▁enemy . ▁However , ▁Hi ế u ▁executed ▁his ▁withdraw al ▁plan ▁in ▁time ▁to ▁bring ▁his ▁troops ▁back ▁to ▁L ộ c ▁Nin h . ▁The ▁troops ' ▁withdraw al ▁was ▁executed ▁in ▁three ▁phases : ▁▁ ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁ 1 / 8 th ▁Battalion ▁pier ced ▁through ▁enemy ▁blocking ▁line ▁at ▁the ▁northern ▁out post ▁to ▁re join ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁Task ▁Force ▁Command ▁Post ▁located ▁at ▁S nu ol ▁market ; ▁ ▁on ▁ 3