During Operation Lam Son 719, American forces supported Vietnamese forces in their attack across the Laotian border. Designed to cut enemy infiltration routes and to destroy North Vietnamese staging areas in Laos, Operation Lam Son 719 began on February 8 as the 101st and other American aviation units airlifted South Vietnamese troops into Laos.

For many years, the enemy had controlled the area of Laos adjacent to South Vietnam and had built up extensive defenses. When the operation ended on 9 April 1971, less than one Allied aircraft for every thousand sorties was lost, despite the increased enemy use of anit-aircraft weapons, artillery, and armor.

In the aftermath of Operation Lam Son 719, combat operations were conducted in areas of Cambodia adjacent to the South Vietnamese border.

Like Lam Son, air transport and cover were provided by U.S. forces, while SVN Army forces conducted the ground operations.