The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between regulars of the United States Army and regulars of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN/NVA) of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The two-part battle took place between November 14 and November 18, 1965, at two landing zones (LZs) west of Plei Me in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam (precisely at the footstep of Chu Pong massif, 25 kilometers west of Pleime) as part of the U.S. airmobile offensive codenamed Operation Silver Bayonet I (November 9–18, 1965).