Why did Charlie Company believe the 48th Viet Cong Battalion was near My Lai?

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A group of frightened Vietnamese women and children stand close together outdoors during the My Lai Massacre in the Vietnam War. — My Lai Massacre Vietnamese citizens photographed during the My Lai Massacre, March 16, 1968.

Charlie Company believed the 48th Viet Cong Battalion was near My Lai because of military intelligence reports suggesting the unit had taken refuge in the area.1

In reality, this intelligence was incorrect, as the 48th Battalion was actually located in the western highlands of Quang Ngai province, more than 40 miles away. Prior to this, Charlie Company had spent weeks attempting to engage the 48th Battalion—a unit known for its effectiveness—but had instead suffered numerous casualties from mines and booby traps while the Viet Cong employed guerrilla tactics to avoid direct combat. During a briefing on March 15, 1968, Captain Ernest Medina informed his men that they would finally have the chance to confront the enemy that had eluded them.1