<Li> Vung Ro Bay </Li> <Li> Bo De River, Nha Trang, Tha Cau River </Li> <P> The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the North Vietnamese Army - NVA (People's Army of Vietnam - PAVN), part of the Pleiku Campaign conducted early in the Vietnam War . It comprised two main engagements . The first involved the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment and supporting units, and took place November 14--16, 1965 at LZ X-Ray, located at the eastern foot of the Chu Pong massif in the central highlands of Vietnam . The second engagement involved the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment plus supporting units, and took place on November 17 at LZ Albany, farther north in the Ia Drang Valley . It is notable for being the first large scale helicopter air assault and also the first use of B - 52 strategic bombers in a tactical support role . </P> <P> The size of the clearing at LZ X-Ray meant that troops had to be shuttled in, the first lift landing at 10: 48 . The last troops of the battalion were landed at 15: 20, by which time the troops on the ground were already heavily engaged, with one platoon cut off . Faced with heavy casualties and unexpected opposition, 1st Battalion was reinforced by B Company 2nd Battalion 7th Cavalry . Fighting continued the following day when the LZ was further reinforced by A Company 2 / 7 and also by 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry, and the lost platoon was rescued . The last Vietnamese assaults on the position were repulsed on the morning of 16th . As the Vietnamese forces melted away, the remainder of 2 / 7 and A Company of 1st Battalion 5th Cavalry arrived . By mid-afternoon 1 / 7 and B Company 2 / 7 had been airlifted to LZ Falcon, and on the 17th November 2 / 5 marched out towards LZ Columbus while the remaining 2 / 7 and 1 / 5 companies marched towards LZ Albany . The latter force became strung out and, in the early afternoon, were badly mauled in an ambush before they could be reinforced and extricated . </P>

What was the first battle in the vietnam war