- 1 1 ▁cor v ette ▁and ▁one ▁small ▁pat rol ▁boat ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁island ▁from ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁on s la ug ht . ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁P AV N ▁South ▁Central ▁Coast ▁Command ▁at ▁Cam ▁Ran h ▁Bay ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 2 5 th ▁Naval ▁Transport ▁Brigade ▁of ▁the ▁V PN ▁began ▁transport ing ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 0 7 th ▁Special ▁Forces ▁Battalion ▁from ▁Military ▁Region ▁ 5 , ▁and ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 5 th ▁Regiment ▁towards ▁Ph ú ▁Qu ý . ▁ ▁At ▁ 1 . 5 0   am ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁land ed ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁the ▁fight ▁for ▁Ph ú ▁Qu ý ▁Island ▁began . ▁C aught ▁by ▁surprise ▁South ▁Vietnam ese ▁units ▁retre ated ▁to ▁the ▁administrative ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁island , ▁where ▁they ▁organized ▁their ▁def enses ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁push ▁back ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁forces . ▁While ▁at ▁sea , ▁the ▁R V N ' s ▁H Q - 1 1 ▁esc ort ▁ship ▁cl ashed ▁with ▁boats ▁from ▁the ▁V PN ▁ 1 2 5 th ▁Navy ▁Transport ▁Brig ate , ▁but ▁ultimately ▁the ▁long - range ▁art illery ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁V PN ▁proved ▁too ▁much ▁for ▁the ▁H Q - 1 1 ▁and ▁it ▁retre ated ▁from ▁the ▁island ▁with ▁significant ▁damage . ▁After ▁several ▁hours ▁of ▁waiting