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Testimony of: Pfc. William H. Mentch, 33571833, Regimental Headquarters Company,

222nd Infantry, 42nd Division.

Taken at: Worgl, Austria.

Date: 15 May 1945. By: Lt. Col. J. M. Whitaker, IGD,

Asst. Inspector General, Seventh Army.

The witness was sworn.

671 Q Please state your name, rank, serial number, and organization.

A Pfc. William H. Mentch, 33571833, Regimental Headquarters Company, 222nd Infantry, 42nd Division.

(The witness was advised of his rights under the 24th Article of War.)

672 Q What is your job?

A I am the colonel's driver.

673 Q Were you with the colonel and his party on the day the Dachau Camp was liberated?

A Yes, sir.

674 Q After you went inside the walls what did you do?

A I went in and turned to my right and heard a lot of yelling and there was a building in front of me so I had to go a block to the right and I saw a wire enclosure, and there I saw these Russians and Poles in there yelling and carrying on.

675 Q To the left of the gate to this big enclosure and along the canal which parallels the enclosure fence there was a tower which contained some German guards. Are you familiar with the tower I described?

A Yes, sir, I was in the tower.

676 Q When did you go to that tower?

A I came around the enclosure there was a few German bicycles there with packs and things on them and I came on down and by that time the colonel had gone the other way with a couple of guards and there were some German prisoners standing in front of the tower and I went inside and looked around. There was an office and things like that inside.

677 Q When you got to the tower the Germans who were there were lined up?