Materially supporting the operation throughout this period, as Marines worked deep under the canopy, proved to be a challenge. Tiny holes were cut in the jungle into which skillful Marine helicopter pilots lowered supplies and extracted those in need of medical attention. On a least one occasion, the pilots brought a suprise - ice cream and beer packed in large styrofoam containers, previously wused to ship aviation ordnance. "You can imagine," Col. Nichols reported, "the shouts of joy from some weary Marines who received this surprise."
On 19 April, Nichols directed Nelson's Mariens to withdraw to Hills 785 and 502 (FSB Buckskin) in preparation for a helilift out of the area of operations, (Golf Co. left from Hill 785. When the choppers came to get us we lined up in groups of 20 or so. When the helicopter my group was assigned to showed up it hovered overhead and slowly settled down. The dust was really intense since it was almost directly overhead. I just ducked my head and closed my eyes and stood there. After awhile I noticed that it hadn't landed and took a look around. I was the only one still in the area. The landing skid of the chopper was about two feet away just above my head. They were just waiting for me to get out of the way. The door gunner was looking at me and shaking his head. I know he was thinking, "Christ, what an asshole) since the 1st Bn, 26th Marines was to rejoin the Special Landing Force, and battalion would be needed to cover that portion of vacated Da Nang TAOR. With the 2nd Bn., 7th Marines' withdrawal, coordination was made with the 51st ARVN Regt. in order that a relief in place might be conducted between Nelson's battalion and a battalion of that regiment. Two days later, in a combined effort involvinng Marine and Vietnamese helicopters, Nelson's Marines and Battery H, 3rd Bn., 11th Marines withdrew and were replaced by the 1st Bn., 51st ARVN Regt. and a supporting 105mm howitzer battery. The ARVN batallion assumed a mission similar to that of the 2nd Bn., 7th Marines; one company protecting the battery on Buckskin, while the remainder of the battalion patrolled the surrounding terrain.
This was pretty much the end of 2/7's contribution to the operation. We left Hill 785 and were landed on Hill 10 and a few days later Golf Co. moved to Cobb Bridge. During the operation the US had 44 KIAs, 439 WIAs and 456 nonbattle injuries. NVA/VC had 596 KIAs and there were 7 POWs.