 The army unit, called the Sparta Battalion, which was sent in November 1950 under Spartan Lieutenant Colonel Georgios Koumanakos, was composed of 849 men and six vehicles in an HQ company and three rifle companies; with one machine gun/mortar platoon and three rifle platoons in each.The men were all volunteers from the 1st, 8th and 9th Infantry Divisions.From August 23, 1951, the component was expanded to 1,063 men, at which strength it remained until the December 1953 armistice.