In 1965 Troop A, 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division was given a Valorous Unit Award for Operation Harrison Tuy Hoa Vietnam, Meritorious Unit Citation, and later after being employed for recon scout patrols in the Toumoroung battle to defend a Special Forces outpost and the Vietnamese company on the edge of complete destruction. Troop A deployed under the command of Captain Bill Carpenter, who called in napalm air strikes on his own position as it was being overrun. Departing from this battle, Troop A patrols were tasked to rescue and reinforce Lieutenant Colonel David Hackworth's Tiger Force (the battalion recon platoon of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry) of 45 soldiers who had been overrun and outnumbered 40 or more to 1. The 80 men of Troop A were at that time deployed in reconnaissance efforts along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and throughout the Dak To Province. Each of the 12 patrols rendezvoused with a chopper flight to fight their way in to rescue and re-enforce Tiger Force. The scout's radio frequency was changed to Tiger Force as it did every time the scouts were officially attached to another unit. Troop A was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for heroism during this battle by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The unit was also awarded, as attached reinforcements under the command of Lieutenant Colonel David Hackworth, the South Vietnamese Presidential Citation. 8000 combat helicopter missions were flown during this three-week battle.