 During the summer and autumn of 1974, the ARVN 3rd Division and attached Rangers had reached exhaustion.More than 4,700 men had been killed, wounded, or were missing in the actions in and around Duc Duc in the three months since the PAVN offensive began at Da Trach on 18 July.A disproportionate number were officers and noncommissioned officers for whom no experienced replacements were available.