Page 29 of 120 |
Continued from page 28
Testimony of: Pfc. John J. Le Kanites, 42074729, Company "I", 157th Infantry.
Taken at: Pullach, Germany. (Near Munich)
Date: 4 May 1945. By: Lt. Col. Joseph M. Whitaker, IGD,
Asst. Inspector General, Seventh Army.
The witness was sworn.
200 Q Please state your name, rank, serial number and organization.
A Pfc. John J. Le Kanites, 42074729, Company "I", 157th Infantry.
(The witness was advised of his rights under the 24th Article of War.)
201 Q Do you remember the taking of the Dachau Concentration Camp?
A Yes, sir.
202 Q Were you present when the SS men were separated from other prisoners of war?
A No, sir. I belong to the machine gun section of the first platoon, but that day we were acting as rifle squad and I wasn't present. I was there when they came out of the hospital, and I myself took about 40 or 50 doctors and nurses and soldiers, don't know whether they were SS troops or not, and brought them down to this place where there was about 50 more, and then I went down further into the camp, but I wasn't present when they separated them. I heard about it afterwards, but that is only hearsay.
203 Q Do you know what members of your company were present?
A That I could not say.
204 Q Do you know any member of your company that was present?
A During any excitement like that you can't account for men, you more or less watch your squad leaders.
205 Q Did you learn afterwards by the talk that you heard which members of your company might have been present?
A That I couldn't say who was present, because I don't know for sure myself.