The 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division commanded by Colonel Donald V. Rattan had been moved from near Huế and Phu Bai six days earlier to Quảng Trị Province, with its headquarters at Landing Zone Betty (Coord) two kilometers south of Quảng Trị City, with the bulk of its force at LZ Sharon, another kilometer south, in order to launch attacks on the PAVN/VC Base Area 101 roughly 15 kilometers to the west-southwest.