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Testimony of: Pvt. William C. Curtin (Contd)

348 Q Did you see any men or officers there armed with sub-machine guns?

A I have seen them later, but I didn't notice any at that time. I saw one "I" Company platoon leader with a sub-machine gun.

349 Q What is your estimate of the number of Germans who were lined up against this wall?

A I would say about fifty or sixty men.

350 Q What happened after Col. Sparks stopped the shooting?

A Well, my platoon leader came over there, ate me out about firing the gun, and told me to dismount it and move it out of there.

351 Q You refer to Lt. Drain?

A Yes, sir.

352 Q Exactly what did Lt. Drain say to you at this time?

A He said he didn't mean for any of our company gunners to fire that gun, that Lt. Walsh wanted that gun set up and he was going to fire it himself. And I explained that when they came at us and Lt. Walsh said, "Let them have it," that I was the only man behind the gun, so I had to fire it.

353 Q Exactly how far forward do you estimate these prisoners moved after you had loaded your gun?

A About ten or fifteen feet away from the wall towards our gun.

354 Q I show you a photograph which has been identified as Exhibit "C", and ask you first if the yard shown in the photograph is the place where the shooting occurred?

A Yes, sir, that is it.

355 Q Is that photograph a picture of the scene immediately after the shooting stopped?

A Yes, sir.

356 Q Is that you at the machine gun?

A Yes, sir.

357 Q And who is that by your side?

A It is my second gunner, Corporal Sedler.

358 Q With what weapon is he armed?

A He is armed with a pistol, sir.

359 Q Do you recognize any of the other soldiers shown in this photograph?

A Yes, sir, I recognize the BAR man from Company "I", the ammunition man from our squad who is shown carrying ammunition toward the gun. His name is Bryant. We call him "Bird-Eyes". I do not recognize the man carrying the walkie-talkie.

360 Q What happened after the shooting was stopped by Col. Sparks?

A Well, we dismounted the machine gun and removed it from the yard and joined our platoon and went on clearing the buildings.

361 Q Did you see any Americans shoot any other prisoners that day?

A I saw the riflemen shooting others who were running through the yards who would not give up.

362 Q Is there anything further you wish to tell me?

A No, sir.