The force reconnaissance platoon of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit has begun widening its patrols across an arc of desolate territory that is essentially no man's land, focusing particularly on an area between here and Kandahar, the Taliban's last bastion.
After virtually no sleep during the preceding night and a full day of almost non-stop combat, with only a few rounds of ammunition remaining, flanked by a superior enemy force, the platoon and artillery observers were captured.
They then took the hill despite North Korean resistance, killing eleven and capturing one, and forcing two platoons of North Koreans to retreat from the hill.
The hills were believed to be occupied by an Italian force of around platoon strength.
The British force, including a platoon of 43 Rhodesians in the 2nd Battalion of the Black Watch, took up positions on six hills overlooking the only road towards Berbera and engaged the Italians at the Battle of Tug Argan.
During that morning, elements of the Komori Force ambushed two platoon-sized American patrols traveling in trucks northeast of Umtingalu.
Small victories like that were tempered by a betrayal that forced Zheng's platoon into a frenzied retreat through a swamp.
Two other members of the Kandahar Strike Force, Basir, a former platoon commander, and Fazel Mohammad, a deputy platoon commander, also held at the Pul-i-Charkhi prison, said they were serving Afghan commandos in 2004 when they were recruited to a "special unit".
Finding places to train was difficult: many a platoon was forced into a humiliating argument with the park keeper over their right to march on the grass, or hounded by an over-zealous caretaker from a school classroom or church hall where they had set up guard posts.
An estimated platoon-sized force of Chinese made the first attack.
During the march they came in contact with a platoon-sized force of Germans which briefly held up the company before reinforcements could arrive.
