▁revealed ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁prior ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁operations . ▁In ▁G ion g ▁T rom , ▁loc als ▁said ▁that ▁a ▁V C ▁unit , ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 1 6 th ▁Local ▁Force ▁Battalion , ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁but ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁night ▁before ▁the ▁MR F ▁arrived . ▁This ▁experience ▁was ▁typical ▁of ▁MR F ▁operations ▁conducted ▁in ▁Ki ế n ▁H ò a ▁Province ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁Oper ations ▁usually ▁involved ▁V C ▁R PG - 2 ▁and ▁re co ill ess ▁rif le ▁teams ▁who ▁delayed ▁the ▁Americans ▁but ▁inf lic ted ▁few ▁losses . ▁Hel ic op ters ▁became ▁in valu able ▁during ▁movement ▁to ▁detect ▁and ▁attack ▁small ▁V C ▁form ations ▁armed ▁with ▁anti - t ank ▁weapons . ▁These ▁operations ▁in ▁Ki ế n ▁H ò a ▁Province ▁saw ▁the ▁first ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁long - await ed ▁assault ▁support ▁pat rol ▁boats . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁ 5 – 7 ▁October , ▁the ▁MR F ▁ended ▁Cor on ado ▁V ▁with ▁an ▁operation ▁around ▁Ban ▁Long ▁alongside ▁the ▁AR V N ▁ 7 th ▁Division ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁battle ▁with ▁the ▁V C ▁ 2 6 3 rd ▁Battalion . ▁The ▁MR F ▁lost ▁ 1 ▁killed ▁and ▁ 2 6 ▁wounded , ▁while ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Division ▁suffered ▁ 6 ▁dead ▁and ▁ 3 6 ▁wounded , ▁while ▁the ▁V C ▁lost ▁ 1 6 3 ▁dead