on 14 october, four pavn pt-76 tanks supported infantry attacking the thais. two of the pt-76s were destroyed on 15 october, and the vietnamese withdrew. on the 18th, the pavn struck again. by 0100 hours on the 19th, all the thai infantry was in full flight, as gm 401 abandoned its headquarters staff and the new fire support base. the communists overran the fire base, destroying three of four royalist howitzers. an ac-130 spectre gunship fire mission forced a communist withdrawal and saved the 18 man headquarters.