▁morning ▁of ▁ 2 6 ▁May ▁Company ▁C , ▁ 3 / 8 th ▁Infantry ▁was ▁moving ▁through ▁thick ▁j ung le ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁sni per ▁fire ▁killing ▁the ▁company ▁commander ▁and ▁then ▁hitting ▁every ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁company ▁with ▁a ▁Master ▁Serge ant ▁having ▁to ▁take ▁command ▁and ▁form ▁a ▁def ensive ▁per imeter . ▁Company ▁B ▁sent ▁ 3 ▁pl ato ons ▁to ▁support ▁Company ▁C , ▁only ▁ 1 ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁reach ▁them , ▁the ▁others ▁being ▁stopped ▁by ▁inten se ▁fire . ▁The ▁P AV N ▁launched ▁several ▁assault s , ▁coming ▁within ▁ 1 0 m ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁lines ▁but ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁pen et rate ▁and ▁were ▁eventually ▁driven ▁back ▁by ▁art illery ▁and ▁gun ship ▁fire ▁leaving ▁ 9 6 ▁dead ▁and ▁ 2 ▁wounded ▁behind . ▁ ▁P AV N ▁tact ics ▁were ▁similar ▁to ▁those ▁seen ▁during ▁Operation ▁Sam ▁Houston , ▁the ▁P AV N ▁usually ▁controlled ▁the ▁place ▁and ▁timing ▁of ▁the ▁fighting , ▁launch ing ▁surprise ▁attacks ▁on ▁units ▁moving ▁through ▁j ung le ▁or ▁in ▁over night ▁positions , ▁attack ing ▁with ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁mort ar ▁and ▁R PG - 2 ▁fire ▁and ▁then ▁withdraw ing ▁when ▁American ▁pressure ▁became ▁too ▁great . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁engag ements ▁occurred ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁Camb od ian ▁border ▁so ▁the ▁P AV N ▁could ▁withdraw ▁to ▁their ▁cross - border ▁san ctu aries ▁as ▁needed . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁May