First Lieutenant Herbert R. Oxnam, Commanding Officer of the 2nd Platoon, states that on the evening of 27 February 1953 the moon was high over a clear sky with a thin layer of snow and ice on the ground. Aided by the presence of enemy flares, the visibility gave the forward positions of COP2 a near daylight effect. Oxnam commented that “one would think they were at a major league night ball game.