STATEMENT BY 1ST LT. HOWARD L. OLECK, HISTORICAL OFFICER
AT: HINSBECK, Germany, 1750 hours, 3 March 1945

At 1000 hours this morning at road junction one mile northeast of Dulken, Germany, on a one lane secondary road to Bolsheim, Germany, 1st Lt. Howard L. Oleck, Historical Section, while moving from the old CP of the 8th Armored Division to the new CP which was being set up farther north at Hinsbeck, observed a German military truck off the road, apparently blown off by a mine in the road.

Contents of the truck included clerical equipment and a file of military documents which were hidden under the confused mass of material that had been in the truck. The historical officer picked up these documents and turned them over to G-2 of the 8th Armored Division immediately upon arrival at Hinsbeck, Germany, the new division CP.

These documents indicated the presence, in the area opposing the 8th Armored Divisions line of advance, of elements of the German 15th Army and German 12th SS Corps. There was a particularly large group of documents, mostly orders, referring to the 176th Infantry Division (German) and the 187th SS Regiment. Most of the documents appertain to the 176th Infantry Division Signal Battalion.

Captain Thomas Q, Donaldson, assistant G-2 of the 8th Armored Division, acknowledge receipt of these documents, and stated that they were particularly important for information concerning German order of battle. He stated to the historical officer that immediately upon translation he would forward to historical officer any material of historical value contained in the said documents.

NOTE:
AT: 1700 18 March 45. Grefrath, Germany

At this time Capt. Donaldson had not yet forwarded any materials as above mentioned, to the historical officer.

Recognizable portions of matter contained in these documents appeared (in translation) in the 8 A.D. G-2 report on 5 March. 45