On August 22, 1968, at 0235 hours, the 1/5th(M) was placed under OPCON to the 1/27th Infantry for the day’s operations. At 0300 hours, the 1/5th(M) S-3 and the S-3 from the 1/27th Infantry coordinated plans for the day’s activities. At 0640 hours, Company B, 1/5th (M) with an element of the ¾ Cavalry attached departed Dau Tieng. Company C, 1/5th(M), stood by outside the west gate of Dau Tieng Base Camp. At 0700 hours, the Commanding Officer of the 1/27th Infantry arrived to take command of the day’s operation. At 0715 hours, the Recon Platoon, 1/5th(M) departed Dau Tieng and proceeded west on Highway 239 and then turned south, paralleling Highway 19. The platoon turned west into the Ben Cui, just south of the 46 Grid line. Company B(+) continued west into the Ben Cui along Highway 239. Company C moved south about 500 meters and then turned west into the Ben Cui. Elements of the 2/27th Infantry were located immediately to the rear of Company C. At 0900 hours, all units reported negative contact. At 0918 hours, Company B(+) moved west from where Highway 239 turns south and Highway 19 goes west. The plan was for them to proceed and check out the area north of the abandoned Ben Cui Airstrip. They reported finding NVA web gear and some hand grenades. At 0919 hours, the Recon Platoon turned in a northerly direction towards Company B. At 0928 hours, Company B(+) reported that they were in heavy contact just west of the highway 239 and 19 split. The soldiers were moving on the ground in front of the APCs. At 1040 hours, Company B(+) reported that they were still receiving RPG fire and automatic weapons fire. Two APCs from the ¾ Cavalry element had been hit by RPG rounds. By 1145 hours, Company B had five wounded. The fighting was intense with an occasional lull. Artillery fire was called in on the enemy positions. The troops would advance and then fall back. Company B(+) was ordered to pull back and regroup on line. The line was staggered and in the confusion of battle two men were left in front of the line. The Recon Platoon and Company C had moved north and linked up with Company B(+) at 1200 hours. Air strikes, artillery and helicopter light fire teams were employed in and around the original contact area. At 1303 hours, a dust-off was requested for one badly burned individual. At 1306 hours, a “duster” and a Quad 50 were moved to the north of the contact area. By 1400 hours, more air strikes were completed. At 1455 hours, it was reported that units were attempting to locate and extract the 2 Company B personnel. Searching elements found one of the Bobcats and his M-60 machinegun. He was dead. They also located the M-60 machinegun of the second Bobcat but there was no sign of him. After searching the area again with negative results, all elements departed the contact area and moved to the area of the abandoned Ben Cui airstrip to establish a night perimeter at XT 444457. All elements closed by 1930 hours. Four ambush patrols were deployed. At 1935 hours, the 1/5th(M) became OPCON to the 2nd Brigade.