Summary of witness statements for Captain Stuart's report of 6 Feb,68  
ISG Johnson: Was emerging from bunker following a mortar attack. As I left the bunker, a new attack started. I immediately entered the bunker and sat facing the number one mortar. About 7 rounds were fired and a misfire occurred- proper drop but no ignition sound. Expecting a cook off, I dove for cover. Looked back at the tube and saw sparks coming from the end. Did not see the round leave the tube but sounded like a 4th of July Sparkler coming from the end. The Mortar Squad gave a short round warning, relayed the call and dove for cover. I notified the Mortar Platoon Section Leader to keep all the mortar canisters, ammo and packing crates in place until an investigation was conducted. On 2 Feb, I searched for the short round but was unable to locate it.
 
Gunner 1: Smithey: Had just finished firing counter mortar mission- new attack started. I was gunner. My crew was returning mortar fire and we had fired 5 rounds in effect. Just set new deflection on the sight. We were firing searching fire- Fire 2 rounds, drop the tube 2 turns fire 2 rounds, After each two rounds I would turn traverse knob 2 turns to the right, fire two rounds ,then traverse two rounds to the left. On the 7th round, we had a short round. Yelled warning. A few seconds after the mortar left the tube explosion, an officer came up to my gun and ordered cease fire- telling us that the round had hit the BOQ. The gun was taken apart and turned into the FDC. My crew was split between the other guns. From the time I was ordered to cease-fire, I was incapable of thinking clearly. I personally do not believe that the short round was capable of hitting the BOQ. The tube was pointing over the opposite side of the BOQ. I believe that the round that hit the BOQ was incoming.
 
Gunner 2: Cecieta: All the guns had been firing counter mortar fire when Smithey yelled short round. His position was approximately 60 meters from my own. During this time incoming rounds were falling in and about the messhall and BOQ. Kept busy the rest of the night. At day break, observed the area in which the incident occurred. The fatal round had fallen about 2 or 3 feet from the opposite side of the BOQ. I don't think the trajectory from number 1 Gun could possibly co-incide with the position of the explosion. Small amount of Shrapnel- too small for an 81 MM and I believe the short round detonated or is still in the mud.
 
McGill: Witnessed the short round. We had fired 5 rounds before we had a short round. Had cleared the tube- Tube was not hot. The round hit the bottom of the tube and started to burn. After 5(?blurred) seconds the round left the tube. We did not see the round go off. Told to stop firing. The next day I went out to check the place where the round went off. Looked to me, from the way it hit, it must have been incoming.
 
Gregory: Observed the round that killed 4 officers. Just before I saw it hit, I observed one that hit in the vicinity of the artillery. I heard another explosion. Can't positively say where the sound came from, saw an explosion by the BOQ. From my position it looked like the rounds had been called in.
 
Bogdon:  Saw a round hit the top of the fort. A puff of black smoke went up. A puff of black smoke also went up from the round that hit  the BOQ. I believe that the round that hit the BOQ was also  enemy because the color of the smoke was identical.
 
Phipps: Was standing in the gun pit near the BOQ. When I started up the wall to talk to CPT Reed, as my head cleared the wall sparks flew and the concussion of the explosion knocked me back into the gun pit. From  the force of the blast, I don't think it was one of our rounds.