November 14, 1965, Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam—Amidst the low brush, elephant grass and enormous sun-baked termite mounds, clouds of dust lazily drift away from the clearing nicknamed LZ (Landing Zone) X-Ray. In preparation for an air assault by troops from the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, United States artillery has been relentlessly pounding away at the perimeter of the LZ.
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